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1875, Irises, For Indoor Decoration

The Garden, p194, March 6, 1875

"Irises — The bulb-like root-stocks of the Persian Iris (I. persica) should be potted four or five together in 5-inch pots in loamy soil in October and placed in a cool room. After the middle of December they should be removed to the heated room. It is a very easily forced plant, and blooms from the middle of January. The flowers are variegated with pale blue on stems about 9 inches high. After flowering they are to be treated like the Hyacinths. I. reticulata is a native of the Caucasus. Its bulbs are covered with a reticulated coat, from which the species derives its name. In the open air it blooms at the same time as the Snowdrop, and is forced in the same way as the Crocus. The flowers are blue. When potting, eight or ton bulbs should be put into each pot. I. Xiphinm and I. xiphioides are both natives of South-western Europe, and have bulb-like root-stocks and flower-stems about a foot high, narrow leaves and large flowers, which vary from deep blue to nearly white, and are variegated in various ways. The first is also known in gardens as I. hispanica and the other as I. anglica. They should be placed in the heated or cool room about a month later than I. reticulata. In other respects the treatment is the same. I. susiana is a native of the east, and one of the handsome kinds with large flowers,which are veined and spotted with brownish-purple on a grey ground. The plants should be potted in loam well-mixed with sand, in August or September. They should not be watered, and in February the pots should be placed in a sunny part of the double window, and in a temperature of from 40° to 48° Fahr. Here they should be watered very carefully, and as little as possible. The truly handsome flowers appear in April. In other respects the treatment is the same as that of Cyclamen persicum.

For more information on historic Irises visit the Historic Iris Preservation Society at

-- BobPries - 2014-09-26
Topic revision: r2 - 29 Jul 2018, BobPries
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