posted
What's the diff between Miniature Iris, Japanese Iris & Siberian Iris? I've looked around on the Web & get mostly descriptions, but very few pics of these 3! I'm thinking that what I have here is not Miniature Iris, as I'd been calling them! From what I've found, Miniature Iris look about the same as "normal" Iris, with long broad-ish leaves but their stems are really short & stubby. From any pics I found of Japanese Iris, their petals are full & rounded like a "normal" Iris, instead of looking slender, with narrow spiky foliage like this:
This is the 1 I'm looking to identify, which grows in a small area by my driveway. (It, like so may of the flowers here, was already here when we bought the house, so I haven't the foggiest idea of what all I have here!) I can't find any photos of Siberian Iris, but from the descriptions I've found, I think that's what it is. It only gets 12-15" tall, the leaves are real slender, it blooms later than "normal" Iris, is doing well in partial shade (unlike "normal" Iris, which love full sun) & the blossoms don't seem to last as long.
I've used "normal" several times here.... now I'm wondering why I'm using a word like that! What IS "normal". anyway?! (Certainly nothing I am familiar with!)
posted
Patty...I've always been a little confused about this too. I di a Google Image Search for miniature, siberian and japanese iris, and I'd say you have a siberian. The miniature results varied, and included some of the same results as the others, so I think miniature means any "miniature" irises. Plants: 2290 | From: norman, ok | Registered: Apr 2005
| Seeded: 72.16.97.202
posted
Hi, Patty: Your iris looks like our native Iris versicolor, or blue flag , as shown here from a google search:
Good question --what's "normal"-- my first guess is the bearded variety, since that's the one that everyone refers to as simply "iris" in conversation.
Plants: 118 | From: Kingston, Ontario | Registered: Nov 2005
| Seeded: 24.226.91.184
posted
I have Siberian Iris. The foliage is much more rounded than "regular" Iris and is about 12" to 14" tall. The bloom stalks stand much taller than the plant, maybe twice as tall. The petals don't look like the one in your picture but that could be a different variety. Hopes this helps.
Plants: 24 | From: Illinois | Registered: Dec 2004
| Seeded: 12.161.97.252
posted
Neko, your Iris looks close, but I'm not quite sure. I also don't remember if the blooms stand up a lot higher than the leaves or not. (Gosh, Spring seems like it was YEARS ago! I really need to take notes next year!)
Try this one. I just found this photo in my files & have no idea where it came from, but it's exactly what mine are, only a different color. (I think that maybe I was trying to research it some time ago & lifted the pic off the Web somewhere, but got distracted & didn't follow through!) Maybe this will help narrow it down.
I'm trying to find out what it is, as I have seeds from it but would like to include planting info on seed packets in case anyone wants some. I also believe that Iris seed needs stratification, but want to make sure. Thanx.
posted
LOL! Thanx again, Neko! (Looks like you went on quite a search, like I've been doing!) Interesting article; sounds like the guy is about as confused as I am...
quote:"The only sure identification of an unknown comes when you can match it with living material of a correctly-named plant "
... which is exactly why I posted my question here! Somebody must know what these Iris are called!
login | 
| 
| 
![[dunno]](graemlins/dunno.gif)
![[Wink]](wink.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this garden