Description of the iris plant, recommendations for planting and care, how to breed a killer whale, combating possible pests and diseases, notes for flower growers, species.
Iris belongs to the genus of rhizome perennials, which are part of the Iridaceae family. Due to the fact that the people call the plant Kasatik, the family is often found under the same name - Iris. It is noteworthy that the varieties of Iris are found on all continents of the planet, they are distinguished by a variety of colors and shapes. Plants prefer temperate, subtropical and tropical climates. In the genus scientists, there are about 800 species of these highly decorative plants. However, The Plant List database indicates 362 species, of which about 60 species are found on the territory of Russia and neighboring states.
| Family name | Iris |
| Life cycle | Perennial |
| Growth features | Grassy |
| Reproduction | Rhizome strips, bulbs, and occasionally seeds |
| Landing period in open ground | During or after flowering |
| Disembarkation scheme | Leave between the seedlings 40 cm |
| Substrate | The soil should be light, nutritious - sandstone or loam |
| Soil acidity, pH | 6, 5-7 (neutral) |
| Illumination | Sunny location or light partial shade |
| Moisture indicators | Requires regular but moderate watering in the evening |
| Special Requirements | Non-capricious care |
| Plant height | 21 cm to 80 cm |
| Color of flowers | White, cream, red, pink, yellow, purple or purple. May be two-color |
| Type of flowers, inflorescences | Single flowers or spike inflorescences |
| Flowering time | In spring or early summer, occasionally in autumn |
| Decorative time | Spring-summer |
| Place of application | Flowerbeds, curbs, rocky hills |
| USDA zone | 4–9 |
The flower received its unusual name for the variety of colors that occur in nature. It resembles the colors of the rainbow, which in Greek is "iris" - rainbow. This name was given by the physician Hippocrates in honor of the rainbow goddess Iris. However, among the people, for its tenderness, splendor and beauty, the plant received nicknames: cockerel, magpie flower, pickle, bear, wolf or hare cucumbers (this, apparently, reflects the fruits of iris). In Ukraine, it is called a beer house, a singer or a beer house. The most common term remains "kasatik", which means beloved, desired or dear.
All irises have stems that grow in bunches or singly, they can be simple or branched. The root system is located fairly close to the soil surface and often rises above it. Moreover, its growth occurs in a horizontal surface. The rhizome is dotted with filamentous or filamentous root processes. The leaf plates are mainly gathered around the stems in the form of a fan and have xiphoid flattened outlines. They can grow in two rows. The color of their rich green hue, the top may be pointed. Sometimes longitudinal stripes or waxy bloom appear on the surface of the leaf. There are practically no stem leaves.
It is the flowering of irises that is an extraordinary action. Flowers can be formed both singly and collected in inflorescences. There are varieties with fragrant flowers. Most bloom is observed in the spring, stretching until mid-summer, but some varieties bloom in the fall. This process will become most magnificent when the iris reaches the age of three. The perianth has a simple shape, that is, it is devoid of division into a corolla and a calyx. The rim can have the appearance of a tubular, at the bend there is a division into six parts. At the base, the petals have an interconnection in the form of a tube, where fragrant nectar is contained. Occasionally iris flowers resemble orchids with their outlines.
At the same time, 2-3 buds bloom on the flowering stem, and the average life of flowers is 1-5 days. After pollination, iris fruits ripen, which resemble dense cucumbers, but in fact they are three-nested capsules filled with seeds.
Recommendations for planting and caring for irises in the open field
- Choosing a landing site. Since irises still prefer warm and well-lit natural locations, it is better to choose a flowerbed for them in an open place, they will need good lighting. In the southern regions, the plant can thrive under openwork tree crowns. It is necessary that there is no stagnation of water from melting snow and prolonged rains. Rocky slides or slopes may be the best. If the species is tall, it must be protected from the wind so that the flowering stems are not broken.
- Soil for planting killer whales. Heavy soil is not suitable for growing irises. If there is such soil on your site, it is recommended to add river sand and peat to it, and then thoroughly shovel the entire soil mixture. When the substrate is depleted, phosphorus-potassium fertilizers should be added to it, which contain a small amount of nitrogen. If the acidity of the soil is high, vigorous growth of leaves is observed, but at the same time there is a reduction in flowering or flowers do not form at all. Then it is necessary to stir wood ash, dolomite flour and chalk (lime) into the ground. If we talk about the types of bulbous irises, they prefer light, fertile and loose soil. Sandstone or loam may be the best choice. The acidity of the soil is preferably neutral with a pH of 6, 5–7. Digging of the substrate is carried out on the bayonet of the shovel. A soil mixture is prepared (top dressing is applied) 7 days before planting.
- Planting irises. The best time to plant, for example, bearded irises is late summer (August). But many growers prefer to divide and transplant the bushes of iris during the flowering period or when this process has just ended, but no later than 30 days. In the middle lane, it is customary to plant hare cucumbers in mid-September, and if you live in the southern regions, then the dates are shifted to mid-October. If groundwater is nearby, it is necessary to put a drainage layer in the hole, which will protect the roots of the killer whale from decay. Planting iris seedlings is carried out shallow so that the growth bud is not covered with soil. In this case, the upper part of the rhizome remains uncovered with soil. The leaf plates are placed vertically so that they do not lie on the ground. It is recommended to leave a distance between the seedlings of iris, which directly depends on the species: between dwarf species about 15 cm, medium-sized ones - up to 20 cm, and in tall ones - almost half a meter. Such a space between them will allow the bush to grow in the future. After planting, abundant watering is needed, the soil is moistened again after three days. If it is not possible to immediately plant the planting material, everything is transferred to a dry and cool place for preservation for 14 days. When planting the bulbs, a hole is dug out with a depth equal to two heights of the iris bulbs, but not less than 5 cm. Under no circumstances should the planting material be stored in plastic bags or damp cloth. When planting, tapered irises are not very buried, as this will be a guarantee against various diseases. A deep planting will kill bettas or flowering. The main thing is not to forget to transplant iris bushes every 3-4 years, but Siberian species grow well in one place and bloom flowers up to 10 years.
- Watering irises. If irrigation whales bloom in the summer, and the weather is dry, then it is recommended to carry out regular watering. Evening hours will be the best time, but it is worth doing it carefully so that drops do not fall on the flower petals, otherwise they will be spoiled. Watering directly depends on the variety. For example, Japanese varieties prefer well-moistened soil (for example, on banks flooded in spring), but not swampy, shallow water will not work. Swamp irises require more moisture, but a drying substrate is not a problem for them. Basically, for all types of irises, watering is performed when the soil begins to dry out between the bushes.
- Fertilizers. Any types of irises (both bulbous and rhizome) need to be fed 3 times. The first in the spring at the stage of growing deciduous mass. The second is when bud formation occurs. Rhizome species are fertilized for the third time at the end of summer, bulbous ones - within a month after the end of flowering. It is recommended to use complete mineral complexes such as Kemira Universal, Agricola or Mister Color. Top dressing for irises does not have to be organic. You can not fertilize the bushes of the whale during flowering.
- Wintering of irises. Plants are distinguished by good winter hardiness, but to save plantings, it is recommended to cover the plantings of killer whales with a special non-woven material, which can be, for example, spandbond. As soon as the snow melts, the plants grow quickly, the shelter must be removed immediately.
- Storage of iris bulbs. In areas with very snowy and harsh winters, it is recommended to dig up and store the cockerel bulbs in cool conditions. As soon as flowering ends (from late spring to June), within a month, the foliage of the irises will begin to dry out. As soon as this process reaches half of the leaf plate, the bulbs are removed from the soil. If it rains and the bulbs are flooded with water, there is a risk of fungal attack, leading to disease. The excavated planting material must be washed in a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate (it should be light pink), you can take any other fungicide. Then the bulbs are quickly dried and, until planting, are sent to be stored in wooden boxes with sawdust in a place with sufficient ventilation.
- General advice on care. Rhizome irises are quite unpretentious plants and it is very easy to care for them. At first, weeds can be weeded out by hand, since it is not possible to use a garden tool due to the superficial location of the root system. For the same reason, loosen the soil very carefully. When the roots of bearded irises grow quite strongly, even these operations are no longer needed - they will protect themselves. Bulbous species of iris will require a little more maintenance. Leaf plates, which turn yellow with the arrival of autumn and become covered with brown spots, must be cut off. If the variety is exotic, the foliage is cut more than half of its length. Heat-loving varieties need to be covered in the fall. All flowers that wither must be removed, and the flower-bearing stems are cut as close to the rhizome as possible. In any case, it is better to sprinkle the rhizomes of killer whales remaining in the open ground and cover them with soil or peat before winter.
Tips for breeding and replanting iris
The best method for obtaining new bushes of cockerels is to divide an overgrown bush or plant daughter bulbs, occasionally seed is used.
- Division of irises. If you do not perform the specified operation in time, this will lead to the fact that the flowering will begin to gradually weaken and, in the end, will stop altogether. Varieties of bearded iris can be separated 20-30 days after the flowering process ends - this time, on average, stretches from mid-summer to late August. Rhizomes are removed from the soil, washed from the soil and left to dry. Then separation is carried out with a sharpened knife. It is recommended to separate 1–2 divisions, those parts of the rhizome that are separated by constrictions. The remains are disposed of. The foliage should be cut so that it remains 10-15 cm from the roots. Before planting, the delenki are slightly dried for a couple of hours, and then planted in a prepared place in the garden. When growing Siberian and Japanese irises, the central part of the bush gradually dies off, which signals that the plant needs to be divided. The best time will not be spring, but when the flowering is over. Such a period for Siberian species is the end of July or the beginning of August, when the summer heat weakens. Japanese killer whales can be separated in the first or last decade of August. In any case, the iris bush should be completely dug up and divided into parts using the sharp edge of the shovel. All sections are recommended to be processed with activated charcoal or charcoal powder. The middle that is in the center is thrown out. Disembarkation should be carried out as quickly as possible, since drying is harmful for them.
- Iris propagation with bulbs characteristic of bulbous species, This is because around the mother bulb there is an increase in children - small bulbs. When, with the arrival of autumn, the bulbs are dug out of the soil, you can start separating the "young". After the bulbs are separated, they are dried and planted with the arrival of spring in open ground.
- Seed propagation of irises it is used when you want to develop new varieties. Before sowing, it is necessary to stratify the seeds. It is recommended to soak them in warm water for a day so that they swell. Then the seed is mixed with disinfected sand (it is treated with a solution of potassium permanganate) and placed on the lower shelf of the refrigerator for 14 days. Sowing is carried out in seedling boxes with peat-sandy soil. When the seeds hatch, they perform a dive of the seedlings, leaving the strongest ones. After some growing up, young seedlings of killer whales are transplanted in separate containers. When the time is right for planting in open ground, the plant is transplanted.
Fight against possible pests and diseases of irises
When growing killer whales, it is important not to violate the rules of agricultural technology. Usually, problems arise with waterlogged soil, when rhizome decay occurs. If you notice that the rhizomes of the cockerels are covered with rot, it is important to clean it out immediately until healthy tissue remains. Then treatment with a fungicidal solution is performed and the rhizome will need to be dried for 24 hours in the open air, periodically turning it over. It is better to transfer the planting to a new place, since the soil in this place is contaminated and it should be disinfected more than once.
If the males are affected by fusarium or other putrefactive diseases, it is important to take action quickly. The signs are the rapid drying of the leaves and the early death of the plant. It is recommended to destroy diseased iris bushes, and then water all other plantings along the roots with a 2% Fundazole solution. The same remedy will serve as preventive protection against rot before planting, if they process the bulbs or cut rhizomes. Spraying the plantings of hare cucumbers with 1% Bordeaux liquid helps from spotting.
Among the harmful insects that can harm irises, there are:
- Scoops eating away the bases of flowering stems. For the fight, a 10% solution of karbofos is used, which is carried out two-time treatment with a gap of 7 days.
- Thrips, interfering with the normal processes of photosynthesis in the leaves, then the foliage turns brown and dries. Both karbofos and a solution of laundry soap or makhorka are used.
- Slugs that spoil the foliage. To remove the pest, metaldehyde is used (30–40 grams per 10 m2) or MetaGroza.
The best protection against pests is periodic (once every 14 days) spraying iris bushes with insecticidal preparations. The most effective results are obtained with such treatments 1, 5 months before flowering.
Notes on the iris flower
Iris are not only an ornamental plant that has been known to people for a long time. The first images on the frescoes date back to 4000 BC. In the Middle Ages, these beautiful plants were grown only in the gardens of the noblemen's castles and monasteries.
In different centuries, iris flowers had different meanings, so in Egypt BC they were a symbol of eloquence, but in the lands of Arabia - silence and sadness.
Some species are actively used in medicine, for example, Siberian iris helps against scurvy. Iris rhizome is called "violet root". Species Iris Germanic, Florentine and pale were part of the medicinal breast collection, which today is no longer used by healers. Rhizomes of many varieties can induce vomiting or serve as a laxative. Iris germanica is an expectorant.
If rhizomes are ground into flour, it is used in confectionery or as a flavoring agent, and in small quantities in the form of spices. It is customary to make jam from iris petals in Azerbaijani lands.
Also, the rhizome, due to the high content of essential oil, is still used in top quality perfumes. But due to the high cost, the product began to be replaced with synthetic analogs.
Speaking of aromatherapy, the iris scent helps to cope with stress and fatigue, and also has an overall positive effect on the body.
Types of iris
Since the classification is rather complicated even today, the following are distinguished among all varieties of iris:
Bearded
Perennial plants with a thick rhizome, leaves of a wide xiphoid shape, flowers of rather large sizes. Their distinctive feature is the "beard", which is a strip of dense hairs that grow in the central part of the petal. These varieties are the most common. They are usually divided into:
- dwarf, with a stem height within 21–40 cm;
- medium-sized, whose height parameters vary in the range of 41–70 cm;
- tall, with stems exceeding 71 cm in height.
But this is also conditional, since there is a division into many forms. The color of the flowers of these varieties can take on the most unusual combinations and shades. Depending on the variety, it is time for flowering. The earliest ones can please in early May, and then their decorative effect is generally lost. The most recognized varieties are: Suprem, Thornbird, Frosted Rose - tall, Jazzmatiz, Bedford Lilac - dwarf forms.
Beardless
Perennial plants, rhizome. The flowers of these species do not have a striped beard on the lower petal, but separation is also present:
Siberian
combining varieties of hybrid representatives. Plants are not capricious in care, retain their decorative effect even after flowering. Their flowers have a wide range of shades, but they have no aroma. The best are: Super Ego, Rikugi Sakura, Raffles Velvet, The Golden Cockerel, Belovod'e.
Japanese
or, as it is also called - Iris Xiphoid, Iris Kempflera. It is found wild in Japan, China and the Far East. The flowering process stretches from late June to late July. Flowers can reach 25 cm in diameter, there is no smell. Terry and multi-petal forms were bred. The plant is frost-resistant. For our latitudes, the variety Vasily Alferov, Solveig or Nessa-No-Mai is suitable.
Iris spuria,
possesses frost and drought resistance, tall species. The plant is very elegant. The color of the petals can be gold, yellow, all shades of purple with bronze, purple-black. Among the varieties are: Lemon Touch, Transfiguration and Stella Irene.
Iris marsh
or Iris pseudoair … The plant is hygrophilous, it is used for landscaping water bodies. Its flowers are colored in yellow and blue shades, but pink color can also be found. The flowering process occurs at the beginning of summer. The best are: Variegata, Gerald Darby and Holden Child.
Iris cultivation video:
