By Ann Taylor
If you have Louisiana irises in your yard, you might start seeing their leaves peaking up again and breaking out of their July to August dormant period. They will begin their active growing season in the fall and continue through early summer.
These herbaceous, semi-evergreen perennials grow best in full sun but also perform well in partial shade. Its high water tolerance makes it an excellent choice for low areas that hold water. Louisiana irises can be planted along the banks of ponds, bayous, marshes, or lakes to help stabilize soil. They also grow well in containers and raised beds. Itises begin blooming in late March and continue through May
Louisiana irises are considered “beardless” and the true Louisiana irises consist of five specific native species – Iris giganticaerulea, Iris hexagona, Iris fulva, Iris brevicaulis, and Iris nelsonii. There are hundreds of cultivars and hybrid crosses that have occurred both naturally and as a result of breeders seeking unique flower colors. Flowers come in a wide range of colors including burgundy, blue, lavender, pink, purple, red, white and yellow.
There is also another native iris in Louisiana that does not belong to the distinct “Louisianans” hybrid group. It is called the Iris virginica, or the blue flag iris. It also prefers damp to semi-aquatic conditions. These are often seen in ditches and along waterways as well as home gardens.
Another commonly seen iris is the yellow flag (Iris pseudacorus). Although some hybrid Louisiana iris cultivars are yellow, the yellow flag is not one of them. This European species thrives in our climate and prefers the same damp to semi-aquatic conditions as Louisiana irises, so it is often mistaken for them. Be careful not to plant the yellow flag among your Louisiana irises. It is more vigorous than our native irises and it can crowd them out of an area by out competing them.
Now is the best time to divide clumps of iris. Irises spread by rhizomes which are continuously growing, horizontal, underground stems that put out shoots and adventitious roots at growing points. It is interesting to dig up the rhizomes, divide them, and see the new plants grow. A general purpose fertilizer may be lightly applied in October (post dormancy) and again in February (before flowering).
This Thursday, September 10 from 12:00 to 1:00 pm, the North Central Louisiana Master Gardeners are hosting a seminar at the Lincoln Parish Library. Nancy Clendenen will present her talk entitled “Iris – the Flower of Wisdom – Be Wise About Growing Them”. Nancy is an entertaining speaker and will offer her insights from years of growing plants in our climate.
The North Central Louisiana Master Gardeners will also have an iris information booth at the Ruston Farmers Market on Saturday, September 12, from 9:00 to 1:00. We will show you how to tell the difference between the irises when no flowers are visible. There will also be drawings for iris plants periodically throughout the morning.
If you have gardening questions or experiences you would like to share, please send them to us at NCLAMasterGardener@gmail.com. We will continue to provide “snippets” of information, and you can also visit our Facebook page (North Central Louisiana Master Gardeners) for information about gardening and our upcoming events. Until next time – look for those irises and happy gardening!
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