The Potting Shed: Iris brings color for months

Irises come in a rainbow of colors, which is why they were named Iris - for the Greek goddess of rainbows. There are bearded iris, beardless iris, wild iris and hybrid iris. More than 200 species grow wild, and there are thousands of hybrid varieties.

Almost all irises have at least two things in common - sword shaped leaves and a distinctive flower structure. The three upright petals are called "standards," and three outer petals, called "falls," hang down from the base of the blossom. The "bearded" iris has a fuzzy, caterpillar looking "beard" resting on each of the falls.

The old fashioned irises were beautiful blooming flowers that needed little or no care. This trait changed as people began hybridizing to increase size and color combinations. The newer selections, while they do have bigger and more prolific blooms in exotic colors, require much more care than the old fashioned ones of our grandparent's day.

They are spectacular looking, but they do require considerably more effort than the old varieties. All you did with them, basically, was plant and leave alone, with no need for spraying, watering or fertilizing.

Grown from fleshy roots called rhizomes, these perennials usually grow beautiful blossoms in the spring, with April and May being their most prolific months. There are also summer blooming irises as well as re-blooming irises, which bloom in the spring and re-bloom from midsummer through fall. With so many hybrid varieties available, it is possible to have different irises blooming from early spring through fall.

Good bearded irises are almost effortless to grow. For the old-fashioned iris, as well as some of the newer hybrids, make sure to plant the bulbs in an area with good drainage. Old-fashioned iris will endure droughts easily - but they do not tolerate soggy soil. They actually prefer dry soil in summer.

You may plant bearded iris in late winter, summer or fall. They grow best in the south, but some have been adapted for more northern climates.

The iris long has been one of my favorite flowers. Its blooms almost herald the coming warmer weather and paint the way into the new growing season. Easily cultivated, these are great hand-me-down flowers or good trades for acquiring other bulbs of choice.

Bob Johnson is a Lenoir County master gardener.