Iris - which kind is it ?

17 years ago

Hi all - hope you can help me ! I just offered some of my white "dutch" iris for our fall swap only to find out they're probably not "dutch" iris after all !

They are not full size (2/3 size of my bearded) and they aren't bulbs. They have pretty stiff leaves, not thin and don't curl. The foliage pretty much looks like the bearded except smaller and fuller, leaves not as thick.

I have a white with yellow on the falls that's a very hardy grower and I have had a dark purple with yellow but they died out a few years back. They were given to me so I have no clue !

Are they maybe spuria ? I found plenty of pictures of the blooms but not many of the foliage.

Thanks for your help !

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Comments (5)

iris_gal
17 years ago
Spuria foliage is far narrower than bearded iris foliage. It is also greener.

There are shorter spurias now but mine are tall ~40+ inches.

The link below shows a large clump.

This link has photos of foliage also:
http://www.spuriairis.com/culture.htm

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1038477}}
tugbrethil
17 years ago
They may be I. orientalis (a.k.a. I. ochroleuca) which is one of the spuria ancestors. My clumps only grew about 2 feet tall. It has blooms like white dutch iris with yellow signals, and I am told that there is a purple form, too. Foliage is upright and sword-shaped, narrower than bearded Iris, but wider than dutch Iris. The picture on the link shows some foliage.
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tugbrethil
17 years ago
Oops! Sorry, I know some plants, but I'm still fumbling my computer! The link I referred to is http://bayoucityheirloombulbs.com/images/Iris%20Orientalis%20300.jpg. Hope that gets you to it.
iris_gal
17 years ago
Congrats. You've id-ed it.
greenish_thumb
Original Author
17 years ago
Bingo !
Thank you all - I knew I'd come to the right place ! These have been passed around through our family for years, called dutch iris - you never know what you really have until you call it wrong in public.
Thanks again for your help!