Mismarked Iris, how common???

18 years ago

I would like to share my experience for some feedback. Two years ago I bought about 150 different Cultivars and dealt with at least 5 different sources. Most did not bloom due to an extreme Spring the following year but this year is booming and blooming. I am thrilled every morning with new sights to see with a few exceptions. Several ie. Sea Power, It's Delicious, Lotusland have turned out to have been mismarked and I will not get to see these this year after waiting 2 Springs.Something else entirely is blooming and has been tended, been fed, and taken growing space. Only about 20% have open blooms so far so that is making me concerned that there will be more mismarked ones as the blooming goes on. How common is this? These were from smaller operations than Schreiners and Cooley's. Theirs have been fine so far. Generally speaking, do smaller gardens agree to put things right without a problem?

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Comments (4)

laurief_gw
18 years ago
Unfortunately, the problem with mismarked irises occurs from almost all sellers, big and small, from time to time. Some have reputations for sending out a lot more mislabeled irises than others, but I doubt if there are more than a small handful of sellers who have NEVER sent out a mismark.

Any responsible seller will replace and/or refund mislabeled plants, though I have dealt with at least one commercial seller who refused to do so. As a rule, though, sellers want to turn their customers into repeat buyers, so they'll do whatever they can to make things right.

Take pics of your mismarks (take pics from several angles, in good focus and close-up) and email them to the sellers from whom you acquired them. They may be able to give you the proper identities, along with replacing them with the proper cultivars.

With any luck, you may just find mismarks in your garden that you enjoy even more than the irises you thought you had purchased!

Laurie
irisawe
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you for your quick and common sense reply.

I think I better brace myself for surprises and just enjoy the ride.

Thanks much,

Irisawe
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Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
18 years ago
This spring so far I have had one mismarked one out of about 15. I don't think that is too bad.

Thanks Laurie for your reply. I had not really thought about them maybe putting a name to my iris for me....or replacing it. I figured it might likely just always be a NO ID.

I had not thought about contacting the vendor, (Snowpeak Iris) as these were bought in 2006, and this is their first bloom season for most all of them. I'm pretty new to collecting irises, though I have had and enjoyed a few no id ones for several years.

Sue
laurief_gw
18 years ago
Any knowledgeable commercial grower knows that it can take years before an iris blooms in a new location, so mislabeled plants aren't necessarily reported the year after purchase. Responsible growers appreciate being told about mislabeled plants so that they can correct the error on their end and prevent the same mislabeled plant from being sent out to other customers.

They can't always provide a proper ID for a mislabeled plant, but it's sure worth a shot sending them pics of the flower. Some growers organize their iris fields alphabetically, too, making it easier to figure out misIDs when they happen.

Laurie