Was looking at some on Chuck's website and thinking of maybe trying one or two. I only have Siberian irises other than bearded.

I think the spurias tend to like it dry and arid where as Siberians tend to like it moist. ?? Fraid I don't have any info for you, Katie. :(

Ginny

Is there any possibility that they're crowded together?

My irises never bloomed very well. After seeing pictures on this forum, and realizing mine were seriously lacking, I decided to dig some of them up and move them. Now that they're not as crowded, both areas are blooming like crazy.

Nope! I planted them about 1 1/2 feet away from each other, anticipating these large clumps they are supposed to turn into...they look kind of silly, now!

I'm guessing it must be my soil, because I know it isn't the zone, and they are planted at the proper depth..

My mom had them in Phoenix and they multiplied a lot.

Full sun and well-watered.

And after posting this message, it looks like about 3/5 of my spuria ARE going to bloom this year, lol. Maybe they need more rain in the spring than I think they do. Or maybe in my soil they just take longer to get to blooming size than they are supposed to! Who knows. Glad I'll finally get to see some blooms, anyway.

We are going to want to see pictures! I have yet to get into the iris/peony addiction. I acquired some day lilies and going to be fun to see what color they are.

SCG

SCG, if you're going to develop a daylily addiction, a good time to do it will be when Floral and Hardy has their summer sale. You can get some good ones for about $2. Not that i would ever enable you.... :>

Here is my one of my spuria iris blooming now. Bought it from Chuck Chapman several years ago

And another

This is a pseudata iris a cross between a Japanese( ensata) iris and pseudocorus

This is a bit off topic, though had recently seen what I was told was a Siberian x Japanese iris cross having the form of a double Japanese, believe me it was very nice!

Wow, that one is so much larger than mine! You must have the right conditions for it. I don't have good pictures, but you'll get the general idea. This one is either "Look Again" or "Vintage Year". I think it might be Vintage Year. I had Look Again at one point, but I think it died.

And this is possibly "Kiss of Caramel". Jeesh, I used to keep better track of these things!

Nice pictures all!!

I am resisting the urge....

SCG

I grow Spuria Iris in the South Island of New Zealand. I found that to get them to bloom I did three main things. 1. Fed them with well rotted compost. They are greedy plants and like a neutral to alkaline soil. 2. Did not water during our summer/Autumn, Jan, Feb, March. We can get weeks with no rain. They go dormant after flowering. 3.Do not divide them up they can stay in the one area for 10 years or more. They sulk if shifted.

I'm with Moodyblues. That is how and where mine grew. I've had them in 2 locations all with tons o'sun and dry and they multiplied and thrived in crowded conditions. I just tossed some fertilizer on them in the spring..maybe if I remembered and watered every 2 weeks..deep watering. Again Hot and dry. Bloomed like crazy. Mine were the Orientalis variety.