Inherited Walking Iris (pics & story).

ked1985

12 years ago

So my co-worker gave me her Walking Iris before she left last year. It overwintered in the office, and had a 'baby' that I cut off, rooted, and replanted in the same pot. I had never had an iris before, or a garden, and was a pretty bad green thumb. The plant started to brown at the tips and started loosing leaves. Our work acquired a 'guest' in the form of a mouse that was obsessed with digging in my iris pot. It started dying even faster!

I almost gave up at one point, not thinking much about it -- just that it was attracting our work mouse and I wanted it gone! I shoved it in a corner, alone and forgotten. It didn't get a lot of water and looked terrible. It was spring by now, and we had just moved into a house from a condo. So I noticed the plant one day, looking brown and sad (the 'baby' had died and part of the main plant had to be removed). I took it home and threw the plant -- pot and everything -- out back in a shady spot with late afternoon sun.

In a few months it perked back up and... stuff started happening! I've never had an iris before, what is going on in these pictures? Is that new growth at the bottom? And should I move it to a bigger pot?

This post was edited by ayimera on Fri, Jun 27, 14 at 14:53

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Comments (6)

val1
12 years ago
I have never grown a walking iris, but I am positive the top pic is showing that your plant is going to bloom. The bottom pic does appear to show that the plant is sending up new growth. Since I have never grown one, I cannot recommend what to do about repotting it. I only have bearded iris. Good luck and I am glad it survived to give you some blooms.
aseedisapromise
12 years ago
I also don't have experience with these iris, but I don't think they are hardy in your zone. I wouldn't plant it in the ground (which was my first thought.) I would keep it watered while it blooms, then when it is done I would pot it into a larger pot in case it was feeling like making any increases, which I see a small one starting in your second picture. I would be looking this plant up to get more info-sorry the iris forum is slower this time of year. I found one link which is below.

Here is a link that might be useful: one page about walking iris
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ked1985
Original Author
12 years ago
To follow up on this: yes, it was in the process of blooming!
dbarron
12 years ago
A lovely reward for keeping it, eh ?
User
12 years ago
I have this plant. It does best when the pot is kept out of direct sun and the soil is kept moist. I find it likes, and looks best, when it's crowded. Love the flowers; they smell so good!
queen_gardener
12 years ago
Beautiful. I've also never had walking iris before, as I only heard of them a few weeks ago while I'm obsessively on the computer learning about plants and gardening, trying to swap plants, and connecting with other gardeners. I wouldn't mind more first hand info on this plant myself . . .