Oncoseason 2010

[Richard Green]

I have just returned from a trip to Israel, and could not resist looking up some Oncos in between visits to relatives.  We are constrained by school holidays in the time we can visit, but luckily arrived back in the UK early Tuesday morning just before the volcanic ash problems.

The first picture is Iris lortetii growing in a reserve north of the Sea of Galilee.  This was a plant growing in the wetter (lower) part of the reserve, those growing higher up the hill had less competition from the undergrowth.


The second picture is a closeup and is interesting to compare this Miriam’s pics of Iris samariae, or Iris lortetii var. samariae here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4755.msg143993#msg143993  Others more qualified than I can argue about the taxonomy.


We did visit a further Israel Nature and Parks Authority Reserve in the Golan Heights, but it can be a bit difficult to search all the other likely areas!


On the way south we stopped off at a Reserve on the outskirts of Netanya to look at the habitat of Iris atropurpurea.  See Miriam’s pictures of flowers here: http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=4755.msg133658#msg133658  The plants were of course by now well past flowering (two months on), however it may help those of you trying to cultivate to see that they are growing on dunes in pure beach sand which was bone dry, and likely to remain so for many months.


There was plenty of evidence of seeding - but do not bother to PM me asking for any as we left it all to germinate naturally.


This reserve is completely surrounded by the encroaching town, and it is worrying to speculate on the future human pressures that this reserve will suffer from in the coming years.


It was a great trip and many thanks to Oron for his useful advice to me in advance !

[Regelian]

Richard, great shots and thanks for taking those of the habitat.  I brings a much fuller picture to mind, as to how these plants actually grow.  Very reassuring to see seed pods in the wild, even with an encroaching town.

John,

your arid bed looks great.  Mine will hopefully be similarly successful, having had the benefit of seeing yours as it was built (ASI).  How much annual rainfall do you get?  Are the summers dry or do you protect the bed from summer rain?  Altough I. lycotis is oft considered one of the easier Oncos for the garden, I've yet to succeed with it.  I suspect my wetter summers are the problem, although, if our current weather is any forwarning, we may have a very dry summer in the Cologne area..

Jamie

[arilnut]

Hi Jamie.  According to National Weather Service the average (which I don't put much stock in, the weather
will do what it wants) is 30 inches annually. They say May & June 4in., July, August, & Sept. 3in..
Those summer month totals tho can be just 1 or 2 thunderstorms and the rest of the month hot & dry.
I do not cover the beds.  This corner bed I show was the first major Aril sp. bed I made. The one you  refer to
in the ASI article is the third. The second one is under a cedar tree & raised 5 inches filled with Moline limestone.
 Then there are the 4 Arilbred beds raised 3 to 5 inches with somewhat less gravel mixed with native soil.
Just went out to check and I. sprengeri has just started to unfurl 1 fall. It is cool, cloudy, and chance
of rain today so might not open till tomorrow. I will post a pic when it does. Now I need to go find the Regelia
thread to post pics to.

John



John,

your arid bed looks great.  Mine will hopefully be similarly successful, having had the benefit of seeing yours as it was built (ASI).  How much annual rainfall do you get?  Are the summers dry or do you protect the bed from summer rain?  Altough I. lycotis is oft considered one of the easier Oncos for the garden, I've yet to succeed with it.  I suspect my wetter summers are the problem, although, if our current weather is any forwarning, we may have a very dry summer in the Cologne area..

Jamie
[/quote]

[Miriam]

Richard,

Very nice pictures!

The leaves of Iris samariae are more wider and falcate, unlike the straight leaves of Iris lortetii.
The flowers of Iris samariae are more larger, but generally Iris lortetii and Iris samariae are very similar.

[arilnut]

And my 2nd. Onco, I.sprengeri.  A little petal damage, don't know if it is weather or insect related.

John B

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Great pictures John B. !!! Love your beds !  The onco's seem to feel at home !! 


Richard,
Thanks for taking us along on your walks - great job !! 

[Hans A.]

Beautiful plants John - is your Iris iberica ssp. lycotis always short in size?

Richard thanks for the pics of Israel.

Here some more Oncos are in flower.
Iris kirkwoodii, Iris lortetii,  Iris iberica ssp. lycotis, Iris paradoxa and Iris sofarana.
I am specially happy about the last one as it is the first flower of it - think the six years from sowing to get the first flower was worth to wait.

[Hristo]

John,Hans, super photos and plants.Hans sofarana was well worth the wait, my favourite from a batch of beauties!

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Gorgeous flowers Hans and warm congrats to get I. sofarana to flowering size ! I agree with Chris, it's a beauty !

I love the velvety I. paradoxa very much as well ! 

Many thanks for showing and look forward to the next batch !   

[Hans A.]

Thanks Chris and Luc - most Oncos are over here, but I suppose there will bloom still enough for a new small batch.
Hope to see some more Onco pics from Belgium, France, US and Spain soon...

[arillady]

Always great to see the arils insitu and also how others manage their growing needs and seeing Hans photos of fabulous blooms.
Thank you so much Miriam for the hint on the differences between samaraie and lortetii leaves - the letter S is wider and 'l' is thin and narrow - my way of remembering!

[arilnut]

Here is my second Sprengeri yesterday and Paradoxa Atrata today.

John B

[Regelian]

John,

the atrata is simply wonderfull.  A very smart-looking flower.  Did you grow this from seed?

[arilnut]

No Jamie, got it from Bondarenko last year.

John

John,

the atrata is simply wonderfull.  A very smart-looking flower.  Did you grow this from seed?

[Otto Fauser]

Hans , superbly grown and photographed plants . Hard to pick a favourite from your 5 ,but it has to be Iris sofarana  .