Iris iberica elegantissima

[Hans A.]

Fantastic capture, Rafa - and thanks Tony for the picture and information about its natural habitat.

I grow this species here in the garden with no rain protection (about 800 mm/ Year) together with other Oncos http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1411.45 - most problems cause here the possibly to hot (and dry?) summer - more southern oncos have less problems.
I think in Britain it should not start to grow to early and kept dry till spring (just water it once in october) - problematic seems to be the missing of light in to warm and wet conditions in winter.

[Paul T]

Glorious picture!!  I posted previously but lost in the backup.

[Lesley Cox]

A glorious plant Tony, a truly black and white flower.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

My outburst of admiration got lost in the meltdown as well Tony !
Absolutely stunning plant and picture !!!  Wonderful 

[Tony Willis]

Thank you it was all luck. Needless to say I cannot grow a single one of this group of irises.

[art600]

I promise later this year to find my slides of this truly wonderful Iris, to scan them and post on the Forum.  We saw hundreds 'near'  Mt Ararat, in very large clumps.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

We'll remind you of that Art.... 

[Maggi Young]

  We saw hundreds 'near'  Mt Ararat, in very large clumps.

Oh, my word.... the very idea....bliss!

[mark smyth]

The Czechs put theirs on garage and roof tops to bake in the sun

[monocotman]

hi there,
just a comment about growing this lovely species.
I live near Cambridge and grow a few oncos in pots in a greenhouse or under the eaves of the house.
I find that drainage is by far the most important thing.
All my plants are repotted yearly in August into tall pots.
The top half of the pots is entirely gravel. The bottom half is 50:50 gravel and JI no3.
I water in mid september and like to see a good flush of leaves before winter stops any more growth.
I have watered as early as late August and the plants have grown and flowered normally.
I've forgotten plants in the summer and found them later, sitting in wet gravel when they've gone dormant and they've survived.
The plants have done equally well in a greenhouse and outside protected from the rain over winter.
I water again in early spring as they start to grow and give plenty of water and feed when they are actively growing.
When they start to yellow I stop any water or feeding and forget them for the summer.
I find that elegantissima is a slower grower than some - acutiloba and iberica var iberica are much faster growing, but for a sheer 'knock you dead' flower, it cannot be beaten.
One of my plants set seed three years ago( it must have been selfed by an errant bee) and this year the one and only seedling should be big enough to flower.
So don't be put off by reputation - I think that Fritillarias in pots are much harder and less forgiving to grow than these beauties!
Just give them perfect drainage and they'll do OK,
Regards,
David

[arillady]

Welcome David to this forum. Iris iberica ssp. elegantissima is the reason why I joined the ASI and started to grow arils from seed.
I have a couple of small plants of this species which survive but have never flowered so I am going to seriously rethink much of my growing beds this year - we have been having drizzly rain over many cool days in winter with the occasional frosts so the leaves on many are browned off at the tips. Yes the drainage is one of the most critical aspects plus I think the cold winds do not help. I grow all mine outside on my hillside. I will just have to get the crowbar out and leave up some of the rocky outcrops a bit more for protection and heat retention.
Pat T

[David Nicholson]

Thanks for the details of your growing regime David, I keep thinking of having a go. Oh, and welcome to the Forum.

[Maggi Young]

Hello, David, welcome to the Forum! Very useful to have a new voice adding to our discussions, hope we hear more about your plant passions 

[Boyed]

Anne,

This iris is very frost-hardy and I think it can easily grow outside provided super drainage and sunny location.

The best thing is making experiments - growing some samples outside and some under cold frame to see what is effective. But if the quantity is limited t is better to try it in green house, but be very careful with watering. It doesn't tolerate when the soil keeps wet for long period.

[annew]

Again, thank you everyone. My friend certainly has plenty of advice to try now!