New Member w/Questions

18 years ago

Hello,

I am a gardener in Myrtle Beach, SC and have just joined this forum. I have posted on other related web sites occasionally. I especially enjoyed finding the pictures here (e.g. "Silent Screen Star" I could not find anywhere else, and it was a bonus sent to me by Joseph Ghio). It helps so much to see photos of specific plants besides the ones in catalogs (for comparison).

I had two questions. From the first that I saw Schreiner's "Can't Touch This," I really liked it. I purchased it in 2005, but it has failed to bloom and has produced only two fans. It's my slowest grower out of about 85 TB irises. I wonder if others out there are growing this cultivar, and, if so, is this a common experience? If not, I'd like to order another rhizome and continue trying. The flower is really pretty, I think.

I would also like your opinion on a large black flower TB. Which in your experience are particularly deeply colored? When I move (hopefully, soon), I will have more space to add new flowers, and a large flowered black iris is definitely on my list. I have Matt McNames, which I love, but am replacing the solid black "Before the Storm." Any recommendations? Of course, I know that regional conditions affect growth so I would consider this.

Thanks for your knowledge--

Mike Williams, Myrtle Beach, SC, Zone 8

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Comments (8)

wmoores
18 years ago
The blackest iris I have grown is Midnight Oil, but it blooms very late and gets cooked in the hot sun. I am going to try it under a tree and see what happens.

Matt McNames is a fabulous black and has been overlooked. You are lucky to have this iris. It is a vigorous grower.

The most carefree black that I've grown is Keith Keppel's Night Game 1996 which usually blooms early to mid season. Not as black as some of the others, but I keep it for rewarding me with numerous flowers over the bloom season. It should have gone farther up the AIS awards ladder in my opinion.

Shadows of Night by Rick Tasco '06 is the most ruffled black I grow. It was sent a year early and was a superstar this spring with lots of stalks. It has a great future in its class.

I replaced Before the Storm several times and finally gave up on it.

Walter Moores
mikesc
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks, Walter.
Matt McNames was a first year plant for me this spring, and was probably my favorite new flower. It is really stunningly gorgeous, and so I'm happy to hear it's a great grower, for I can only imagine how pretty a clump of it would be!

Thanks for the information--
Mike
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hakkamike
18 years ago
Yeah thanks guys lol lol, I just had to order Matt McNames, I sould not resist after reading the positive things you posted about it..
mareas
18 years ago
Mike - I toured Schreiner's display gardens twice this year & highly recommended both 'Black Suited' and 'Blackalicious' for their huge, truley BLACK flowers and the length of their bloom seasons.
Marea
carlos42180
18 years ago
Greetings Mike,

Welcome to GardenWeb. You probably already know me, since you sent in some of your Schreiner photos for my website, Brighton Park Iris. I don't grow many Iris that would be considered black, so I can't help you there.

In regards to Can't Touch This, I also don't grow it, but if you are looking for an alternative with a similar color style, you might want to try the earlier Schreiner cultviars of Thunder Bay (1973) and Shoreline (1978). I think Shoreline was one of its grandparents, which traces back to Thunder Bay.

Sincerely,
Carlos

THUNDER BAY
http://www.brightonparkiris.com/thunderbay.html

SHORELINE
http://www.brightonparkiris.com/shoreline.html
mikesc
Original Author
18 years ago
Thanks to all for your information!

Carlos, yes, I continue to enjoy your web site--it is loaded with great pictures. I appreciate the other flowers you noted which are similar to Can't Touch This. I am going to hope for a big year in 08 from this flower... Maybe it just needs time to get settled (like Sea Power....)

Thanks for all of the suggestions. Boy would I love to tour Schreiner's display gardens!

Mike in SC
lilyfarmer
18 years ago
I have several irises that I bought as rebloomers. I have had them for 3-4 years. They have never rebloomed. Any advise would be appreciated
anneow
18 years ago
lilyfarmer- you are more likely to get a response if you start a new thread rather than tacking a question onto an existing thread. At the top of the iris forum there are frequently asked questions that address causes of lack of bloom. Rebloomers are much more variable in bloom habits than non-rebloomers, in general.