Well, *I* understood ya!
I think.

Irises' lifespans don't, as far as I know, extend to 30 or 40 years like trees, so the individual plants aren't that old, but they are the same variety that was planted back then.

If all these irises have been in place for this long, they'd have to be historics.

Some oldies are valuable just for being oldies but everybody has their own favorites, & everybody's favorites are varied.

Swertii, for instance, was first recorded in 16-something;
it's little, it's odd, & I am completely captivated by it.

It reminds me of a jester's cap, & I always smile when I see it.

40 years ago is only 1970 so you won't see as much difference in form as you would in the bearded iris of the 1950s.

If you capture good photos we may be able to help identify. Big IF.

As Sylvia says, older doesn't mean less desirable. Some of my most favorite ones are from the 60s. And some recent intros I won't give garden space to. When you look at an iris, either you love it or you don't.

Irises are funny. The ones that are really, really old cultivars are not always very valuable because they are tough survivors and a lot of people have them. Some go as far back as the 1600's and 1700's.

The very newest irises hybridized recently and on the market this year are usually the most expensive, and the fanciest, with large, fat flowers and ruffles. The price usually goes down relatively quickly, though, since irises reproduce pretty rapidly.

Renee

I think you folks understood what I was trying to say better than I.

Gosh Iris_gal, you are right, 40 years ago is only the 70's and I remember the first move of my life from Arkansas to Oregon and mom took Iris' with her. That was the early 60's. Dad was a Forester and with each relocation, the Iris' went too. O my word, do I feel older or what!

SylviaTexas, "so the individual plants aren't that old, but they are the same variety that was planted back then." This is what I was trying to say, but not as good of a job. Thanks.

People have always shared their Iris with mom. So by now, not even she would know the oldest. They were replanted with each relocation, with no regard to color, age, names, etc. The last re-planting was in 1986 and everything has stayed in place. Her yard is approx 3 acres and the Iris go all around the yard fence.

I am not inquiring for this information to establish a monetary value. Someone in the Stillwater, OK area may be interested in looking at these and I would share them. I will be moving several plants before the closing date. Not just the Iris'.

I will do my best to get some pictures as they bloom. Thanks, so much, for your input.

David

David,

You've got to love the people here. Very informative group. I read your post and completely understood what you where getting at.

While I prefer tall, full flowered "modern" varieties, I have a particular fondness to an older iris that was at my first house when I bought it in 1996. It's pretty much a plain looking lavender flower but I like it's height, and color and it looks great en masse. I don't know its name but I like it just the same.

Take as many and as much as you can. What you can't plant you can always gift to others. This spring I'm hoping to share some daylilies and other perennials with one of the guys in the office who likes to garden.

Best of luck in the move.

why dont you have mom ... pick out some of her favorites ... and you make sure you take PIECES of those ... you dont need the whole plant ... i am sure she will relish the afternoon with you in the garden .... you could also leave a can of landscape paint.. for her to mark others should she make it out there when you are not around ... just an orange dot on the fan ...

wouldnt it be more precious to preserve the memory of her 'choice' .. rather than worrying about the whole???

the guy across the street .. 20 years later.. has a small collection of his dad's monster collection .. and every year.. he has to tell me the whole story ... its the memories.. not just the plants ...

good luck.. and wish mom well from the iris nuts...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: you will find it in any spraypaint aisle

"Her yard is approx 3 acres and the Iris go all around the yard fence."

I am so bad jealous!

I agree, take what you can & share the rest;
you can find adoptors at a nearby Iris Society, garden club, on this very Iris Forum, & on gardenweb's Oklahoma Gardening Forum.

Best luck, & have fun!

Yes, find your local Iris Society! Also, see if the university or county extension office can direct you to Master Gardeners or other garden clubs; they will be very happy to feed their addictions from this collection.

If nothing else, irises can be dug & sold at fundraisers to people who know nothing about names but who like to get a plant. If you took photos when they are blooming & attached them to the plant when selling, it would help.

Whoever buys the house once your Mom is gone is very likely to just dig out the whole thing, unless they are also iris nuts. It would be a shame to waste the plants like that, so much better to give to people who will enjoy them.

Wish Mom the best in her new home!

Update. I was moving mom's furniture yesterday, so walked about the property checking for blooms. It's the strangest thing...........almost as if the Iris know she won't be back. I gotta tell ya, it was depressing. It's as if all these years they were blooming, only, for her enjoyment and now that she is gone they, themselves, feel old, tired, and don't feel up to the task of contributing. Very strange, indeed, this connection between mom and the Iris. I ramble....I'm sorry.

So far, just a couple of blooms, yet so beautiful. I did get pictures of one. The other one, a light yellow one, had bloomed while I was in Broken Arrow, so I missed its beauty stage. Another is coming on, however.

ofionnachta "they will be very happy to feed their addictions from this collection". I love this. You certainly have a way with turning a phrase. Is this not life..........a time of feeding our addictions?

ken_adrian. Your suggestion was a good one, however, mom will never be back to her home. she is in a nurse assisted facility and getting ready to be moved to a long term facility. Closing on the her place is next month.

I will check my camera for the picture quality and if good, I will try to figure out how to post pictures and let you see the first of what she has.

David