Iris versicolor is a hardy plant, commonly grown in gardens in Iceland (local name: roðaíris). According to my icelandic litterature it is a North-American species, wild distibution given to be: Labrador - Manitoba and south to Ohio, Wisconsin and Minnesota. And I know that it grows wild in Newfoundland as well. This fits in with the USDA Plants Profile [ http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile/?symbol=IRVE2 ] and Flora of North America [ http://efloras.org/florataxon.aspx/… and distribution map at http://efloras.org/object_page.aspx/… ] If I can trust my memory, The Reykjavík Botanical Garden got a few seed-collections (picked in the wild) from several different N-American sources when I worked there about thirty or thirtyfive years ago. Most of the seedlings survived and grew prosperously - and I think that most of the icelandic garden examplars now are descendants of that stock. I hope this gives you a clarity on the original distribution of Iris versicolor; it is a native North-American plant! Best wishes - and may you all have happy hollidays! Hafsteinn Hafliðason, Selfoss - Iceland. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ina" <klazina@orcon.net.nz> To: "Pacific Bulb Society" <pbs@lists.ibiblio.org> Sent: Wednesday, December 23, 2009 11:08 PM Subject: [pbs] re Japanese Iris > Is the Iris versicolor a Japanese Iris? Somehow the Internet is not > very clear on that. > > Ina Auckland NZ > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.ibiblio.org > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php > http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/ >