Bulbous Iris

From Ken Walker's Garden 


Some iris have bulbs rather than rhizomes. These are spring flowers that go dormant in the summer. Their ancestors are native mostly to the Mediteranean region and the Middle East.
Dutch iris are the common "florists" iris. While they naturally bloom in the spring, they can be forced year round. Their name comes from the fact they they were hybridised in Holand.
Light Blue Dutch Iris
 Photo Date: 13 March 2000
Dark Blue Dutch Iris
 Photo Date: 26 March 2000
This plant is a bit different from my other Dutch iris. It readly forms large clumps for me but the blossoms are often surrounded by leaves making it more difficult to photograph.
White Dutch Iris
 Photo Date: 1 April 2000
Yellow & White Dutch Iris
 Photo Date: 21 April 1999
The Spanish iris were developed from Iris xiphum, which is native to Spain. This is also one of the species used in developing the Dutch iris.
Blue Spanish Iris
 Photo Date: 24 April 1999
Lavender Spanish Iris
 Photo Date: 23 April 1999
White Spanish Iris
 Photo Date: 17 April 1999
Yellow Spanish Iris
 Photo Date: 17 April 1999
Iris reticulata is a dwarf bulbous iris. I have several varieties. Some may be hybrids.
Iris reticulata, light blue
 Photo Date: 14 February 2000
Iris reticulata, dark blue
 Photo Date: 19 February 2000
Iris reticulata, medium purple
 Photo Date: 26 February 2000
Hmm, it looks like a slug got to this bloom before I did.
Iris reticulata, dark purple
 Photo Date: 20 February 2000
Juno iris have both bulbs and fleshy roots that store food through their dormant period. These iris have alternating leaves on a central stalk and many of them look like minature corn plants. Most juno species require a hot dry summer to survive, but several are tolerant of more diverse climates.
Iris bucharica
 Iris bucharica
Photo Date: 1999
This is the most widely grown of the juno iris. It blooms and multiplies very well for me. It has relatively small roots.
Iris magnifica
 Iris magnifica
Photo Date: 17 March 2001
This iris has a small bulb on top of large dahlia-like roots.
Iris magnifica, stalk
 Iris magnifica
Photo Date: 17 March 2001
This back-lit photo shows how much the stalk of I. magnifica looks like a corn stalk.
Iris vicaria
 Iris vicaria
Photo Date: 1999
 Copyright 1999-2001 Kenneth Walker
This page is copyrighted. The written material in it may not be used without permission. However, the iris photographs on this page that I have taken are not copyrighted. They are in the public domain. While you may not claim ownership or authorship of these pictures,  you may otherwise use them without restriction. If you use the pictures, I don't mind being credited with taking them, though it is not required.
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