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tomnorthjersey

Pics of single, full Siberian Iris?

TomNorthJersey
11 years ago

I ordered some siberian iris bulbs and I'm hoping someone could post some pictures of a single plant showing the whole plant so I have a better understanding of their size and shape. If anyone has Butter and Sugar pics that would be even better.

Most of the photos I've come across online are either closeups of the blooms or I can't tell if it's a single plant or multiples.

I found this one posted by harryshoe on another thread but not sure if it's a single plant or not. Can anyone confirm or post their own pics?

{{gwi:240738}}

Comments (11)

  • hosenemesis
    11 years ago

    No this is not a single plant, this is a well-developed clump. It takes several years to get to this size. A single plant will look like one of those fans of leaves emerging from the ground. Sorry I don't have any photos- they won't grow here.
    Renee

  • TomNorthJersey
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Thanks Renee. It looks to me like there might be 3 of them in a triangle type planting. One in the front, two in the back. Does that sound about right?

  • gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
    11 years ago

    I'm sorry to disagree but a "well-developed clump" of Siberian iris most certainly can be a single plant. And very often is. Unlike the beardeds or bulbous iris species, Sibes do not have bulb/rhizomes/tubers but grow from a dense, flat, fleshy root system, much the same as do daylilies. In fact their growth habit is much more like daylilies than it is bearded iris. Usually they are sold as started plants - a cluster of leaves emerging from this root system. Or sometimes bare root, which I don't recommend.

    If you Google siberian iris images, you should see multiple views of mature plants. Again, these are most often a single plant that has matured sufficiently to spread into a good size clump. Unless you are planning on a large sweep of the Sibes in your garden, a single start is generally adequate. It's OK to plant multiple starts together but just hastens crowding and the need to divide the clump sooner rather than later. And dividing an established clump of Sibes is nothing like digging and dividing bearded iris - it is hard, heavy work.

    Here is a link that might be useful: 'Butter and Sugar' siberian iris

  • TomNorthJersey
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Gee, I keep forgetting to hit submit.

    Gardengal, that picture you posted was one of the ones I saw. I wasn't sure if it was one plant or multiple. Thanks for the clarification.

  • wieslaw59
    11 years ago

    I do not agree with gardengal at all. My garden is filled with Sibirian Irises, and each clump consists of hundreds of rhizomes. They are just smaller than with bearded irises. You can divide the whole clump into single rhizomes, but it is said they transplant better when there are several together.

  • hosenemesis
    11 years ago

    I know that when New York Rita bought Siberians from Joe Pye Weed they were small and took several years to grow into clumps. You could ask over on the Facebook SIGNA page if anyone has first-year photos of siberians.

  • PollyNY
    11 years ago

    This is funny, but I'm going to disagree/ agree with all of you.

    Here's what I get from a well grown first year plant. I call it this, planted in the fall, and here's what it looks like in the spring when it blooms.

    I consider it one plant, but it's comprised of many rhizomes. And they are rhizomes, not bulbs or anything else.

    The iris you have shown could very well have been a single plant to begin with, or could have been a few plants. It's hard to tell at this point.

    But I highly recommend buying bareroot. That's really the only way to get a variety.

  • PollyNY
    11 years ago

    Sorry, picture got lost.

  • hosenemesis
    11 years ago

    That's a nice photo, Polly! I wish I could grow them.
    Renee

  • harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
    11 years ago

    I'm late on this one!

    Worse yet, I can't even add a decent answer. That SI (Caesar's Brother) was my first and it began in a pot purchased from a local nursery. I believe this picture was year 3.

    This is a SI planted 3 years ago which came as a bare root from Joe Pye Weed's Garden. I'm pretty sure it is a single plant.

  • hosenemesis
    11 years ago

    It's beautiful, as usual, Harry. Love that touch of blue in the standards.
    Renee

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