They’ll bring to your garden the enchantment of exotic storybook lands of the Far East.
As the iris season nears its peak, our 11-iris garden, Shangri-La, near Kent, Washington, in the foothills of the mighty Cascade range, is in its full glory.
On clear days Mt. Rainier looks close enough to reach out and touch.
Its snow-capped peak and the luxuriant growth of pines and firs inspired the name Shangri-La.
Since I am a lover of all things Oriental, I have sought to bring some of the atmospheres of the storybook lands of the Far East into my garden with unusual iris from faraway lands.
Types Of Rare Aril Iris
In addition to bearded, Siberian, and kaempferi iris, our garden includes three types of rare aril iris.
These, along with all the iris have seeds with white collars or arils.
They include:
- The oncocyclus iris from Palestine
- The regalia iris from Turkestan
- The Himalayas
The iris hybrids of these two types, the oncogenic, or Rogelio-cycles, as they were formerly called.
Oncocyclus: Rounded Iris
The oncocyclus is more rounded than most bearded irises, with a broad beard.
A distinguishing feature, carried on by most of its hybrids, is a dark, velvety signal patch on the falls at the haft.
The best known of the oncocyclus is Susiana – often described as a “color symphony in black and silver,” although it is more of a midnight purple than a true black.
The network of silver veining gives the effect of a midnight sky strewn with the pathways of stars.
Drought From The East
Europe about 1573 as one of the plants brought back from the East by de Busbecq, who served as ambassador to Constantinople under Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I. C. P. Baker contends.
However, the Crusaders brought this iris to Western Europe from Lebanon several centuries earlier, but it was subsequently lost.
Iris Susiana
He connects the name “Susiana” with the Turkish word “susiani,” which means “iris.”
A native of Palestine and Turkey, which is accustomed to a severe summer drought, I. Susiana requires similar conditions in the garden.
It must be kept dry during its dormant; period. This begins about three weeks after blooming and lasts until about the middle of October.
During this time, no moisture must touch it. So in localities where summer rains fall, it is advisable to lift it after its blooming season.
Store it in dry sand until mid-October, when it may be replanted in the garden and given the benefit of autumn rains.
Framing Method
Many growers prefer to place a frame over Iris Susiana during the summer, but lifting is a surer method.
Unless the frame is of adequate size, moisture can too easily seep under it, causing premature growth, which may be killed during a severe winter.
Growing the oncocyclus iris on a slope or ridge whenever possible is advisable, as good drainage is essential to their best growth.
Blooming Of Iris Susiana
The blooming of Iris Susiana is, to me, at least, the most thrilling moment of the iris season. Mine came into bloom last year on May 24.
Until recently, other true oncocyclus have been unattainable, but one nursery lists no less than 25 species.
In the last few years, Clarence White of Redlands, California, and other iris hybridizers have done outstanding work crossing oncocyclus iris with tall bearded iris.
The hybrids are of surpassing beauty, strangely mottled like rich Persian carpets, and bringing to mind the mood of “Arabian Nights” and Rimsky-KorsakofFs “Scheherazade.”
Onocbreds Varieties
Even the names of these “oncobreds” breathe the languorous spirit of the tales of Baghdad:
- Beladi, mottled purple and silver like its parent, I. Susiana;
- Mustapha, a blending of maroon, gray, and lavender;
- Near East, a creamy yellow veined with maroon; and
- Oyez, a blending of brown and gray which always draws forth excited comments from visitors.
Incidentally, the various members of the Mohr family of bearded iris are of oncocyclus ancestry and still retain some of the oncocyclus characteristics. Any of this mottled iris will give you a real adventure in iris growing.
Regalia Of Turkestan And The Himalayas
The regalia of Turkestan and the Himalayas are just as exotic and glamorous as the oncocyclus and arc botanically close to them.
They are easier to grow than the oncocyclus since they make little if any new growth until spring.
Like the oncocyclus, the regalia have veins and mottlings in bizarre designs. In form, however, they are slender and conical, in contrast to the full-blown shape of the oncocyclus.
I am often reminded of the slim lines of a pagoda when I look at a regalia iris, while the oncocyclus iris has the rounded curves of a mosque.
Iris Korolkowii
Iris korolkowii is an outstanding regalia iris named for a Russian general who sent it to St. Petersburg from Turkestan.
In the brown and green form, a cream background is veined with maroon, olive, and brown, with a brown signal patch on the blade of the falls.
There is also a delightful but very rare pink form. Iris korolkowii ushered in the season for me last year, coming into bloom on May 23.
Hoogiana: Well-Known Regalia
Hoogiana is another well-known regalia, first discovered in southern Turkestan, not far from the almost mythical land of Tibet.
It was named by W. R. Dykes for John M. C. Hoog, who traveled to many far-flung lands in search of native plants for the firm of van Tubergen of Haarlem, Holland.
This firm has done outstanding work in crossing regalia iris with oncocyclus to produce the hybrids known as oncogelias or regeliocyclus.
Hoogiana is a clear, limpid blue of perfect form and, in the opinion of W. R. Dykes, the most perfect of all iris.
Another variety is Hoogiana Purpurea, and a newer one is named Bronze Beauty. Bronze tints in its standards merge into blue-purple in the falls.
Dutch Hybrids
To mention just a few of the beautiful oncogelia iris hybrids, which their Dutch creators have given mythological names, one must include Andromache, described as a “princess clothed in silvery white and violet, with a soft lilac veil.
It has heavy decorative veining and a claret-black signal patch.
- Artemis, with a heavy black beard and the black signal patch, has a background of silvery cream, almost entirely overlaid and veined in bright yet dark carmine violet.
- Luna has deep red-violet veins etched on the smooth, creamy ground, delightfully flushed with pink and lavender.
A rich splash of purplish black plush embellishes the center of the falls.
While these hybrids retain most of the exotic beauty of their parents, they are easier to grow and require less care on the gardener’s part.
The rich beauty of the aril iris will add a touch of Oriental splendor to your garden, and if you enjoy iris hybridizing, crossing them with each other may open for you new pathways to adventure in gardening.
44659 by Rosalie Claire Norton