1. Roger Hawkes

    Roger Hawkes Active Member

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    I live on Saltspring Island . The other day I was given some Iris bulbs from Vancouver Island .
    I'm not sure when they can be planted , how deep and spacing .We have emailed and phoned locals with no response .
    Hope you can help . Thanks
    Roger
     
  2. joclyn

    joclyn Rising Contributor

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    if they are bearded iris, they should be planted so that the tops of the rhizomes are at/just above the soil line; they also need a good sunny spot (will do okay in partial shade though) that will not stay wet/soggy.

    if they are siberian iris, they like wetter conditions and i think they need to be planted as deep as the size of the bulb. not sure about that though as i don't have any of them.
     
  3. lorax

    lorax Rising Contributor 10 Years

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    I had both types. Joc is spot-on for the Bearded Irises. Siberians should be just a little deeper than the size of the rhizome, so that they are better armed against the cold. You can, and should, actually plant them now and let them overwinter in the soil under a light layer of mulch. It should be easy to tell which type they are, too - if they're Bearded Iris rhizome then they generally won't have too much dirt-stain to one side (the top) - they'll look kind of like very hairy Ginger. Siberian Iris rhizomes are smaller, darker, and a touch less hairy with roots. They may also be Japanese Irises, in which case the rhizome will be similar to Siberian but smaller.

    If, however, you've got something that looks more like an actual bulb, you've got either a Spanish or Dutch Iris, and you should treat it as you would a tulip or other bulbed flower.



    Of course, if you've seen the flowers, it's very much easier to ID them.

    Siberian Irisies are smaller, and either purple or white, no other. They also tend to have non-ruffled (ie smooth) petals and the reproductive organs don't have a fringe (beard) on them. Compare

    Bearded Irises have larger flowers that come in an entire palette of colours. They tend to have ruffled petals and bearded throats. They are also the more fragrant of the two. Compare

    Japanese Irises are the smallest, and tend to have a flatter flower profile. They are most common in the blue-purple-white range, but can also be yellow. Compare

    Spanish Irises, the first of the bulb-types, are normally white with an open flower structure, smooth petals, and pointed petals. Compare

    And finally, Dutch Irises are in the blue range with some really spectacular crimson and bicoloured hybrids, and have a similar flower profile to Spanish ones. The "Delft Blue" colour is named for a particular shade of Dutch Iris. Compare

    Hope this helps!
     
  4. Roger Hawkes

    Roger Hawkes Active Member

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    Thanks for the reponses . I recieved a call Mon. from Ted Baker and he confirmed the irises we had were Bearded . The others already in our garden are Siberian . It has been sn education to see just how many Iris types there are . WOW .
    Roger
     

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