Yes, they are very short about 7 inches tall including the bloom. I thought that's what Brecks called them 20 years ago! But, I bow to your expertise!!! I prefer to know the PROPER name. One batch is the brownish purple that I don't like as well as the purple- blue. Help me Iris Lilies!
I wouldnt trust naming conventions from Brecks or the big commercial Dutch retailers. They also call OT lilies “tree lilies” among other abominations.
If you live out West than anything I say is not accurate because I do not know much about Pacific crested Iris, they don’t grow here and I’ve never seen them. But if you live in the Midwest over to the East Coast you probably have reticulatus. Siberians are taller and don’t produce flowers until May.
I grow only a light blue common reticulata iris, and even then it doesn’t come up most of the time. When I plant them they’ll bloom for a year or two and then they disappear. So if you are growing the same ones year after year, that’s good, that means they’re happy.
Last edited by iris lilies; 3-16-21 at 1:44pm.
Thanks, Iris, I am in Piedmont Maryland and they must love it here as I dig them up to spread them around and they still thrive. I don't think the deer like them much. I'm going to put some around the dogwoods where there are crocus that don't exactly thrive..deer nibbling I think and the hostas there are a true salad bar for the deer. What is an OT lily? I have lots of lilies next to the garage that keep growing well, but no idea what the names are. A friend gave them to me when she was clearing her border and it was ancient. I think they are day lilies, but no idea if that's the right name or not. I'm going to google reticulata iris to see if I can find a match!!
You likely have daylilies. Probably they are Orange. If you have daylilies that are any color other than orange good for you.
OT lilies are oriental-trumpet lilies and they get very tall. Mine are 6’ to 8’ feet tall when they’re happy.
Deer love lilies, both Lillium and daylilies (hemerocallis). They pretty much stay away from Iris.
I looked it up and many places they are out of stock. Happily I do have Siberian iris, too....in the same batch of lilies my friend gave me. Now I will call them by their proper name. Do you have a mail order place you like for bulbs? I probably won't plant more, but it's good to browse!
Brett and Becky’s bulbs are where I recommend generalist gardeners go for bulbs. Some of their stock is grown in America.
https://brentandbeckysbulbs.com/?v=7516fd43adaa
if you ever have a yen for super high quality contemporary bearded Iris, here:
https://www.mid-americagarden.com/
last year I had a recent introduction from them that gave me 11 blooms on one stalk. 11! And the rhizome produced 3 stalks like that! All in its first year.
Species and historics won’t give that kind of performance.
I'm going to check both of those places! You might turn me into a lily lover! I have reddish, peach and yellow day lilies. Not many orange, which makes me happy...not too fond of orange. Thank you again!!
Your Siberian iris are probably “Caesars Brother. “ That’s the most common one and it grows like a weed. I don’t do well with siberians but I can grow that guy.Originally Posted by nswef
I'll start calling them Caesar's Brother. I checked both sites. One could spend a fortune on introductory iris at mid-american. I checked the hosta site, too, for dessert for the deer-NOT!
We have wild pasqueflower in the nearby foothills. It's probably a little early, but not uncommon to see them pushing up through the snow since the foothills can get snow until about early May. It's always a little exciting to see them as they are the first mountain wildflower to bloom. I've heard them called Easter Flower.
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