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eukofios

What are the most fragrant heritage iris?

eukofios
11 years ago

As i age my sight isn't as good, and my hearing isn't as good. I find that I get double pleasure from the most strongly fragrant flowers. Many sites list "fragrant" or "slightly fragrant" but I'm wondering how much of that is marketing. Are there some iris, that are extremely strongly fragrant? Especially, older or heritage varieties? I think I prefer old varieties, thinking they will hold up better in our rainy northwest springs.

Thanks for any thoughts. Probably too late to buy for this year but I can plan ahead!

I've seen comments about grape flavored (Caprice) and root beet flavored (Picador and Inca Chief) so I will look for those.

Comments (10)

  • aquawise
    11 years ago

    here is a short list of Fragrant ones.

    BLACK AS NIGHT Ruffled and fragrant.
    BLACK MAGIC licorice fragrance
    BLATANT Musky scent
    BLITZ fragrant
    BOYSENBERRY BUTTERCUP Fragrant.
    CYCLES fragrant
    DAWN'S EDGE fragrant
    FATHOM Fragrant
    FLYBY FRAGRANT.
    GRAPE SITUATION grape Kool-Aid fragrance
    GRAPETTE marvelous grape fragrance.
    LADY JANE Fragrant.
    LEMON PLEDGE Fragrant.
    LIKE A CHARM Fragrant
    MAKE MINE MISTY Sweet fragrance.
    MARY FRANCES Fragrant
    MILLION MILES fragrant
    ORANGE POPSICLE fragrant
    PATRICIA CLAIRE Fragrant
    RUSH HOUR fragrant
    SCARLET SAGE fragrant
    SCENTED BUBBLES very fragrant
    SEPTEMBER SAILOR Fragrant root beer
    SOONER SERENADE fragrant
    SUNNY DISPOSITION Very fragrant
    SWERTII Great fragrance
    THAT SCENTSATION Fragrant
    TRICK OR TREAT fragrant
    VANITY'S CHILD fragrant

  • eukofios
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Just found this list from here too. For some reason, it didn't show up when I searched. Added the link in case anyone else reads this.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Fragrant Iris on Garden Web

  • elmsvane
    11 years ago

    Purple iris are most fragrant. My top picks are Caprice, pallida dalmatica and germanica. Good Luck :)

  • hosenemesis
    11 years ago

    English Charm smells like cat pee.

  • eukofios
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Elmsvane - interesting. I wondered about that too, if it was just my imagination. I put in a pre-order for all three, from Old House Gardens. They send in Spring (interesting, but they say it works). That they are very old, traditional, and fragrant, probably came from someone's yard or a cemetery at some point, or were "found", are all pluses. Perfect for my yard. Very excited.

    Still thinking about others, too, and will go through those listed here with relish.

    No cat-pee irises, please. Maybe they would repel deer? They say fig trees smell the same way, and that deer don't touch them either.

    Gotta find that September Sailor. An iris that smells like root beer would be a lot of fun.

  • gardenofeden777
    11 years ago

    lol Renee being that was the only thing you wrote in your message made it 100 times more funny!!! ROFL!
    Maybe we could give our English Charms a good dousing of essence of lavender to spruce up their fragrance. lol
    You are a hoot Renee!

    Rena'

  • wieslaw59
    11 years ago

    Amethyst Flame smells of cheap soap.

  • jeanrichter
    11 years ago

    Another root-beer-scented oldie is Alcazar.

    Many iris with I. pallida background have a grape soda scent.

  • eukofios
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Definitely need to look around for a start of Alcazar! root-beer scented would be fun.

    I think I will plant my heritage irises in a raised bed similar to my vegetable beds. I like them for what they are, more than as a landscaping plant. Plus, in the raised beds they will not require leaning over so far to smell them.

  • gardenecstasy
    11 years ago

    Can anyone on here look at aquawise's list know weather it's re-blooming and weather it's early mid or late bloooming

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