Oncos 2009

[Rafa]

I suscribe the words from my friend Zhirair, excelent pictures and very good looking plants, specially to me Iris sari ssp. manissadjanii that I lost last year  and very nice close up of I. barnumae.

I think I grow Iris paradoxa subsp. mirabilis. I received some seeds from J. J. Archibalds some years ago, and I germinated 8 with forced germination. After very bad lucky by several attacks of slugs and bidrs I only kept alive one (I think as they were mixed with other species), so I hope it will bloom in few years.

[Regelian]

OK, the season has started in Cologne.  These two are new this Spring and in clay pots on the balcony.

Tadzhiki Bandit is a tetraploid oncoregelia or regeliocyclus, depending on your point of view, bred by Ransom in the South of France.  Very robust, short, at 30cm with a 7x8cm flower.  Yes, that fine outline effect in the fotos is real, not an artifact, although digital does make it a bit more pronounced.  I am most pleased with this subtle beauty.

The second is a clone of I. stolonifera, raised from seed at Paul Christian.  The only one to bloom as of yet, so let's see if they are all distinct.  I took an 'inside' shot to show the extra three beards which give this section the name of Hexapogon (6-beards).  I've tried some backlighting effects, which dramatize the flower, but do tend to change the colouring a bit, but you get the idea.  Mother nature will blow you away, just give her a moment!

[Paul T]

Jamie,

Beautiful, and beautiful pictures too!!  The shots from the top almost look like kaleidoscopes.

[BULBISSIME]

Great Jamie !!
Wonderfull plants and pics !!
Iris stolonifera is very well captured 

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I can only add my praise Jamie !
Wonderfull flowers superbly photographed !

[Otto Fauser]

Jamie - what a wonderful colourcombination in I . stolonifera clone 3 , I have not seen before -phantastisch schoen !

[Regelian]

Thanks, friends!  These are the first arils I've brought to bloom on my own and I am truly fascinated at their intricate beauty. A few more are to come, still in bud and I hope to capture them during the next week or two.  I'm busy collecting pollen for crosses.  My aim is the old wish of a gardenable aril type.  I am working mainly with intermediates and dwarfs (pumila-types) to build up a fertile family.  One of the reasons I am currently doing karyotypes on possible parents; to get a grip on what is happening in wide crosses.  Not to waffle on, but the genus Iris is absolutely fascinating on a genetic level.

[Hans A.]

Jamie, thanks for showing this fine pictures, your Iris stolonifera is really interesting! As Otto, I also cannot remember to have seen one as yours.

Here most Oncos are over - one of the last is Iris iberica ssp. lycotis (grown from Jim and Jenny Archibald seeds) - in difference to central europe here easier to grow than Iris iberica ssp. elegantissima.

[BULBISSIME]

WONDERFULL clump hans !!!
As flowers are over, I hope seeds are coming !! 

[Hans A.]

Thanks Fred - I hope I will get some seed of the plants - it does not look to bad - even of some selfed plants (of species I grow just a single clone) I should get (very) few... 

[Paul T]

Beautiful picture Hans.

[Boyed]

Hans,
your iris lycotis is just superb! I have no wods!

I also noticed that iris elegantissima is somewhat difficult in culktivation comparing to ohter armenian onco irises.
I made a such experiment - planted some samples of each Armenian onco species in humus rich soil with good drainage to see how they will perform.
All felt O.K. and developed normally except iris elegantissima (5 out of 10 rotted). In my opinion the easiest one is iris paradoxa, which can grow succesfully in regular soil provided good drainage and sunny position.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Gorgeous I. iberica ssp lycotis Hans !!
Stunning flower ! 

[Rafa]

Well done Hans, have you got data collection of these plants?
Zhirair, you are right Iris paradoxa is very adaptable plant, and resistant against moist, but Iris iberica specially elegantissima is very exigent in their soil and moisture conditions. Nobody better than you could reproduce their natural conditions as you have seen them in the wild.
I don't recommend to us humus in any onco, regelia or juno iris, just soil from the country mixed with gravel to have a good drainage. Also I use in most of oncos, clay-limestone soil and black acid soil for regelia.

[biodiversite]

Hans, your strain of Iris lycotis is fantastic ; mine plant is less beautiful...

And thank you, your Iris kirkwoodii is flowering now in my garden