Reticulate Iris 2010

[Hristo]

Not a bad trade off though Gail, most suppliers seem to charge more for 'Clairette' than 'Springtime'.

[Ragged Robin]

I. reticulata 'Halkis'

Gail, this is indeed a lovely Reticulate Iris - thanks for your great photos showing the differences between all five so clearly....I've seen George here and really like it too 

[tonyg]

Obtained as 'Spring Time' - bought as potted bulb from garden centre, the label shows a blue iris with orange crest which this doesn't have so is it Clairette instead?

Hi Gail.
I don't think your mystery iris is Clairette.  I have posted a picture of the plant I grow as Clairette.  It has the 8 ribbed leaves which reflect its parentage as a hybrid of Iris bakeriana.  The flowers are quite narrow petalled and have delicate look to them. Your plant appears to have more substantial flowers and square 4 ribbed leaves.  I have also posted a picture of Iris bakeriana grown from wild seed where the 8 ribbed (almost round in x-section) leaves are more easily seen.
What I cannot say is what your plant really is!

edit : sorry the I bakeriana pic is a bit big but it does help you see the leaves

[mark smyth]

AShley, that is a crazy mistake!

[Hristo]

Hi Tony,
Interesting stuff, what I grow as 'Clairette' is from Leonid Bondarenko and has 4 ribbed leaves rather than 8, though the juvenile leaves are less distinct in this respect. Given that Gails iris is from a garden centre I would guess that it is unlikely to be too exotic ( though you never know how the bulbs were sourced ), the flower colouration might hint at 'Marguerite' as another candidate to 'Clairette', since I don't grow this one I can't check the leaves etc. In the photo your 'Clairette' flower to my eye is moving towards violet tinged standards, is this my eyesight or an accurate observaion? Looking back on the old SRGC forum there were many posts for what I think is the horticultural form of Iris bakeriana, these pics look very much like your 'Clairette'. Most available pics of 'Clairette' on the net suggest at 4 rather than 8 ribbed leaves. ( not to say what is in cultivation is always correct!   )
Regards
Chris

Chewing the cud, here is Leonid's pic of 'Clairette';

and 'Springtime' my pic of plant from Leonid is below.

'Springtime' has eight ribbed leaves and again looks closer to your 'Clairette' and bakeriana.

[Hristo]

First time flowerers for me
Iris (Iridodyctium) kolpakowskiana
Iris reticulata ARMENIA

[Janis Ruksans]

Just returned from Turkey. In attachment few pictures of Iris pamphylica in wild. Sorry for not good quality. On field I found that my camera bateries are empty, so those are few shots made by my friends after my request.
Janis

[Armin]

Chris, nice retics. Like the 'Arminia'.

Janis, lovely images from I. pamphylica in the wild. Pict. 3 would be my favourite.

[Hristo]

 

[Gail]

Interesting comments everyone, I didn't get chance today to check the ribs on the plants I have as 'Clairette' but this is an old picture (2008) to compare 'Marguérite'(left) and 'Clairette' (right).  The leaves on 'Marguérite' don't show up really well but on the second leaf from left you should see the long yellow stripe.  It doesn't look like a virus induced variegation but the plant seems less vigorous and is no longer with me.

Chris - lovely pics of I. kolpakowskiana (good to see the unusual leaves so clearly) and your Armenian reticulata.
Janis - thank you so much for posting the wild I. pamphylica, like Armin I love the look of the third picture.

[tonyg]

I'm fast coming to the conclusion that Iris reticulata is as confusing as Crocus biflorus and its ssps!
I'm happy to stand corrected about the plant I grow as Clairette, perhaps just the Hort form of I bakeriana BUT that does not make it Iris bakeriana, I suspect it's a hybrid...... so what should we call it?  Iris bakeriana Hort?
They're all nice but a pity they are so prone to virus

[Janis Ruksans]

Chris, nice retics. Like the 'Arminia'.

Janis, lovely images from I. pamphylica in the wild. Pict. 3 would be my favourite.

Armin and Gail,
Pity, but picture #3 is result of fotoshop. Original picture was almost unusable, too overexposed and I did the maximum possible to make flower visible. Really all are of poor quality and I posted those only to show habitat where I. pamphylica grow. Other pictures are much more correct in color although they are not so sharp as I would like.
Janis

[Hristo]

Gail, thanks for posting that combo,it really does suggest that the main difference between these two is that 'Clairette' is more robust and perhaps 'rounder' in the tips of the falls.

Tony, I agree retics are fab but the cultivars have become so mixed up over the years, though in this instance it is 'our' fault, crocus biflorus has perhaps done it all on its own! Iris bakeriana hort. seems to be a convention that crops up where the plant is known to be like bakerina but isn't.

Janis, thanks for the informative pics, for wild pics I'd say the habitat is of as much, if not more interest than the flowers.Indicates possible 'tretments' for those who wish to attempt growing in the open garden.

[Janis Ruksans]

Again it is snowing, but I made some pictures of Alan McMurtrie's reticulata hybrids blooming now in greenhouse.
Janis

Iris (r) 00-JB-1 -05.
Iris (r) 97-CK-3 -11.
Iris (r) 98-PR-3 -07.
Iris (r) Down to Earth 94-AT-2 -12.
Iris (r) Making Out 95-CS-1 -13.
Iris (r) Regal 98-NP-9 -08.
Iris (r) Sea Green 97-CQ-1 -08.
Iris (r) Sunbeam 98-NP-7 -04.

[Rob Potterton]

The plant below was exhibited at the Loughborough AGS show in early March under the name Iris reticulata ex Adiaun. Is the plant or name known to anybody??