Yankee Louisianas
by M. J. Urist In the cold, short days of midwinter, the irises and I are enjoying the closest thing to real dormancy we get all year. While I lounge next to the woodstove sipping tea, reflecting on the past growing season and plotting next year’s gardening endeavors, the irises rest beneath a thick blanket […]
Growing Louisiana Irises in Pots by Tom W. Dillard*
One of the remarkable attributes of the Louisiana iris is its ability to grow in regular garden soil-or in a swamp. It is one iris that will absolutely thrive in containers. Watering is more easily controlled, and thus, growing in pots can be a major consideration in a water- starved area. Everyone who has ever […]
Growing Louisiana Irises in Plastic Lined Beds by Robert Treadway*
Lined beds seemed to be the answer to my problems. Before digging the first bed, I set out to read all the information I could find but most of the information concerned constructing bogs and was rather extensive. I also read the few articles in past SLI Newsletters covering alternative planting methods. The fear of “sour soil” […]
Growing Louisiana Irises – General Information
Louisiana irises need not be grown in water or under bog conditions, however, don’t overlook this important use of the native iris. Water gardening has become very popular in the last decade and Louisiana Iris are a natural in this setting; however, for decades they have been grown under ordinary garden culture with excellent results. […]
Diploid – Triploid – Tetraploid — What do they Mean?
These are terms that refer to the number of chromosomes that a plant cells contain. Most plants in general are diploid, meaning they have two complete sets of chromosomes. Diploid daylilies (or Dips) have 22 chromosomes, 1 set of eleven from the pod parent and one set of 11 from the pollen parent. Tetraploid daylilies […]
Bog and Water Culture of Louisiana Irises by Gordon Rabalais*
Techniques and methods of a successful pond planting In the September SLI Newsletter; Walter Moores stated that the most important point to remember in the culture of any plant is to simulate as closely as possible the native habitat of the species. He certainly hit the nail on the head with that statement. Growing Louisiana irises the natural way involves […]
Garden Culture of Louisiana Irises by J. Farron Campbell
A Basic Guide to Recommended Cultural Practices The Louisiana iris is a relative newcomer to general garden culture. Fifty years ago only a handful of specialists were really aware of this native iris. One of the biggest hindrances for their widespread use in gardens has been a misunderstanding of their cultural requirements. No, you do not need a pond or bog to […]
Propagation and Cultivation of Louisiana Irises by Claude W. Davis
Most gardeners think of cultivation of Louisiana irises in terms (If moving them to an upland garden bed somewhere around the home site. They may be used, however, around the borders of a pond or stream where they will require practically no attention other than hand weeding provided the water maintains a fairly constant level throughout the year. Louisiana […]
Culture of Louisiana Irises by Claude W. Davis
The culture of Louisiana irises in an upland garden is not too difficult if the grower will attempt to supply the plants with the conditions which make for survival and growth in the swamps and bogs, where they are found as native plants. The soils in which these plants are found are among the richest in the world, […]
Uses for Louisiana Irises by Inez (Mrs. Ed) Conger
Louisiana irises are among the choicest of garden perennials. Gardeners who want a beautiful and well landscaped garden cannot achieve any enthusiasm for the plants when they are grown in isolated patches- one of every kind obtainable all mixed together. Sometimes they are grown in a hole, dug out of the ground to imitate a bog. It’s true […]
