Iris unguicularis
Cathy Craig (Sun, 24 Nov 2002 20:36:24 PST)

Hi all,

I have taken to waiting to see the first flower before cutting this plant
back. Mostly it's due to having to garden in a rush the last few months, and
the CRS (can't remember it blooms in November). My I. u. began blooming
about a week ago so I raced out there with scissors and cut it back and it
is happily blooming away.

In my yard it is growing in a hot bed, full sun, very hot in summer, lots of
constant ocean breeze, regularly but rather sparsely irregated via lawn
sprinklers. This bed sits at the back edge of the lawn up against a drop off
which goes down a 45 degree slope, so the drainage is probably excellent.
All the beds tested pretty acid for So Cal a few years ago but I had been
ammending them with pine needles. No doubt they are a bit less acid now.

I think mine wouldn't do so well with less water. We only had about 4 in of
rain last year (July to July) but as most everyone has agreed it doesn't
seem too picky and is reliably evergreen here all year - always nice.

Cathy Craig Zone 9b Maritime
Pacific Bulb Society President

Mary Sue wrote
In the past Will Ashburner and Cathy