Spanish iris NOT
James Waddick (Sat, 22 Jul 2006 08:38:28 PDT)

Dear Mary Sue and with apologies to our Spanish member, I object to
the Title of the wiki page.

We get into trouble when you confuse common names like
English and Spanish Iris with actual country designations.

The Wiki page might be called 'Iris of Spain' which is VERY
different from the Horticultural group of cvs known as "Spanish
Iris". The better title should be "Xiphium Iris" because it includes
the species and the 3 horticultural groups and species who grow
beyond the political boundaries of Spain proper. It could be cross
referenced to include the 3 horticultural groups.

I tried to point out the oddness of all this in my earlier message.

As I said "Traditionally Spanish Iris have been selections of
I. xiphium PERIOD.
Likewise, English iris are selections of I. latifolia PERIOD

But, both of these and other related species* have
contributed to the complex of Dutch Iris

Theoretically there can be NO hybrid English or Spanish Iris,
by definition these would be Dutch Iris (all hybrids)."

To be specific. Originally Spanish Iris were all only cvs of
I. xiphium. Hybrids* of I xiphium with any other species are then
'automatically Dutch Iris.
Same for English Iris (I latifolia cvs). Dutch iris are a
sort of catch-all and are often given the name Iris xhollandica.

But as soon as you start mixing species that SHOULD be called
Dutch Iris.

And all this has no relationship with what you will get when
you order. As John Grimshaw said, yes the Dutch produce a lot of all
three groups (so are they all "Dutch" iris because they come from
Dutch nurseries?) But some specialty nurseries do (I think) produce
some specialty bulbs with more care, just not easy to get.

There's a lot of roulette in ordering Spanish and English
Iris from Big Box dealers ( I won't name names, but you all get these
colorful Fall bulbs catalogs).

Makes total no sense to me, just the way it is. Jim W.

* Hybrids. Jim McK mentioned the use of this word and it bugs me a
lot. I use the word to mean a cross between two species or
'inter-species hybrid'. Today you see the word used to indicate a
cross between 2 genetic lines. Such as Hybrid Japanese Iris which
are in the same species I. ensata so my kind of hybrids are just not
possible. And many people in many plant groups will take a complex
advanced multi generational cross (say a modern tall bearded iris)
and cross it with a species such as I pallida and call it a "hybrid"
or worse a species cross. Yes, but......

Using my definition of hybrid as a species cross, there are
no Spanish or English Iris hybrids, only Dutch iris.
Cleaar as......
--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +