Juno (Scorpiris) 2009

[Paul T]

What an absolutely wonderful topic!!  I had put off catching up on this one until I had time to properly enjoy the full impact...... Wow!!!!!

Up until a year ago I had not successfully grown a juno.  I killed Iris bucharica 3 times before giving up trying any further as it was the one that was supposed to be least killable.  I did have stenophylla alisonii for a few years before a damp summer that took it out (I have forgotten what a damp summer is now, it was a few years back, that is for sure  ).  A year ago I ordered a couple of junos and grew them through their growing season successfully, even flowering one (can't remember whether I posted a pic or not?), so this year I ordered a bunch more. 

Today I actually repotted last year's plants, finding that both of them were producing offsets and looking quite healthy.  Such a relief!!  Between those two and the few I bought this year I should hopefully flower a few of them this year if I'm lucky.  Such a shame I no longer have the alisonii as I could now do it proper justice, I think. 

Thanks for these wonderfully inspiring pictures, even if they do just make me want to find and grow a bunch of them (I MUST grow rosenbachiana one day!!)..... which may not be a good thing.  I can see "addiction" written on the wall ahead of me. 

Thanks again for the amazing pictures.  So beautiful. 

[Regelian]

What an absolutely wonderful topic!!  I had put off catching up on this one until I had time to properly enjoy the full impact...... Wow!!!!!

Thanks again for the amazing pictures.  So beautiful. 

Paul,

don't ya just hate it!   I've started building another small rockery for Junos.  My infection is acute and the cure...well, it's one of those infections that must simply take its course.  No known cure.

[Paul T]

Jamie,

I don't know.... if all that I have now go the way of the bucharicas I had, that might go a long way towards a cure!!    Here's hoping that they don't.

[Hristo]

Only four or five left to flower after these two;

Iris magnifica x vicaria
Iris graberiana yellow fall

Both are from Janis, my first posting of Iris graberiana yellow fall was not from Janis, I guess I will be trying to work out what that actually is, I know where it came from though......

P.s...Jamie, Paul, don't worry about being obsessive, it's only a probelm for everyone else around you!

[Paul T]

Hristo,

Very true!!!!

[Hristo]

Hi there,
This is a call for help! Many years ago got seed out of the seed exchange for Iris x magnifica. It flowered in the UK ( no pics ) and them moved out here where it has sulked until now! My problem is between moving and the beasties of the field pulling out plant labels I am not certain if the attached pics are for the seed raised plant or a purchased hybrid/cultivar. The pics certainly have features of 'Blue Warlsind' and 'New Argument'.
If anyone out there is growing some of these hybrids/cultivars etc and cen help confirm if this is an existing named plant or is indeed my seed raised plant I would be very grateful.
Cheers
Hristo.

[Paul T]

Chris,

Beautiful colour to it.  It's a shame now that I find anything with stripes like that automatically makes me think of virus!!    I realise that it may not be anything even remotely like that, but the one on the right in the first pic immediately brings it to mind.    I feel like I'm sad and jaded now, unable to enjoy quite the intrinsic beauty I used to.   Curse you viruses!! 

Seriously, I hope it is just a colour break, but the one on the right definitely looks less regular than the one on the left. And at least the standards are unmarked, so it would appear to just be natural variation.  STUNNING colours to them, that is for sure.

[BULBISSIME]

I don"t have any name for this beauty, but I really don't think that your plant could have virus.
Very very nice anyway !

[Paul T]

Sorry, the virus alert has been drilled into me both here and elsewhere.  I can remove the posting referring to it if preferred?

[Hristo]

Thanks for comments Paul and Fred,

Paul, I have had virused Junos a long time in the past and by the time they flower the leaves show the effects of the virus.
The striping in the standards occurs in other hybrids like 'New Argument'. This plant which had one stem last year has come back as two stems,
so vigour is good. I will watch the leaves for any signs of yellowing and striping, but certainly they were clear last year and are clear so far this year.
Don't worry about asking the virus question, it makes us all re-assess our stock to ensure we maintain healthy and vigerous plants!

[arillady]

Fantastic colouring and that it is increasing is good.
I have a small piece of what is believed to be Iris susiana - now that is virused!!!!!
Paul  I have a few aucheri/magnifica junos that come up every year - they are in the garden where they never get watered unless it is heaven sent.
Funny how you can coddle some things and not others and get different results tha that you might expect

[Paul T]

Pat,

Bummer!!  Can you self seed it, or is it self-infertile?  Frustrating having something like that which is virused.  Do you keep it isolated somewhere so you can still enjoy it, or use it in a hybridising programme?

[Hristo]

Pat,
Too true about the way we all tend to coddle our 'babies'! I will be putting all but a few of the Junos outside as the garden grown plants have out performed the ones I have protected! Simon ( Sinchets ) has found this to be true of many of his alpines which have in 9 months produced plants that would take years to develop in pots in an alpine house.

[ruweiss]

Flowering Iris aucheri gave me the perfect Easter present today. I grow these dark seedlings
since several years without any protection in the open garden, but they never flowered so
profusely like this year.

[ranunculus]

Beautiful plants, Rudi ...