Iris is a plant of the family of iris, belonging to the perennial genus of rhizome flowers. They are common on all continents and are very popular. This plant is a distant relative of gladiolus. In total, about 800 species are distinguished, characterized by a variety of shades and shapes. According to legend, the name of this flower was in honor of the goddess Irida, and translated from ancient Greek means "rainbow". The Slavic peoples had the common name kasatik (Russia), that is, coveted, dear, dear; cockerel and even perunik (Ukraine).
White irises have extraordinary beauty. They are so perfect, beautiful and full of meaning that it is difficult to find a person who would not admire them. A special royal majesty to the flower is given by falling down fouls and harmoniously directed upward lines of standards. Of the huge variety of colors, it is irises that have a rich color scheme. However, pure white are a very rare variety and, accordingly, are especially appreciated.
Historical and cultural significance of iris flowers
The white flower of this plant, pure as the wings of an angel, was endowed with different meanings in world cultures: the expression of grief for the dead, a hallmark of a noble family, a noble person. Florets and coats of arms decorated drawings of inflorescences. White color represented only positive qualities. Like horticultural culture, irises are a symbol of aristocracy and power. Images of this flower archaeologists often find on scepters belonging to the Egyptian pharaohs. Iris was repeatedly mentioned in the philosophical works of Hippocrates. This flower from the ancient Greeks was a symbol of courage and was widely used in various rituals. White Dutch irises are traditionally considered a symbol of the Virgin Mary, so their cultivation in all monasteries was mandatory.
Flower structure
Depending on the species, the plant may have different root systems: fibrous, rod, thin or fleshy, branching rather weakly. The leaves of the iris are wide, xiphoid, bright or dark green in color. The condition of the plant can be determined by a wax coating: if it is even, then it is healthy. It is noted that foliage retains a decorative look until late autumn. Peduncles can reach a length of 90 cm. Depending on the variety, tall (more than 70 cm), medium-tall (35-70 cm) and low-growing (25-35 cm) plants are distinguished.
An unusual form of inflorescence is famous for irises. A description of the plant can be found in specialized literature: the iris petals raised up and forming a dome are called the standard (standard), and the three petals dropped down are called fouls. On the lower lobes of the flower there are dense bristly outgrowths - a beard.
Preparation for landing
Beginning gardeners are often worried about how to plant irises. According to professional plant growers, the growth and flowering of this crop depends on the thorough observance of all the rules. The most protected from cold winds, but at the same time ventilated and well-lit place, is suitable for landing. If you can’t find this, you can select partial shade. The soil should be drained, light, slightly acidic. To do this, you can add a little wood ash or lime to it. It is important to prevent the appearance of stagnant moisture, since for irises it is a destructive medium. In addition, they do not tolerate the application of organic fertilizers, because of which they first cease to bloom, and then rot. White irises do not tolerate the presence of weeds, especially those that have a strong rhizome, so they should be planted in clean and well-groomed areas.
Before this, long leaves and roots of the plant should be cut at an angle. The leaf part should be no more than 15 cm. When the seedlings are healthy, you can not process them. If the plant has signs of fungus or disease, it should be cleaned, washed and incubated for 20 minutes in a solution of foundationazole or pink potassium permanganate. Purchased or dug iris bushes should be planted as soon as possible in the ground, as their roots may be weathered. For temporary storage, but not more than 2 days, you need moist, coarse sand, which when planting should be laid out to create drainage to the bottom of the hole.
The best way to transfer to the soil is to the ridges after flowering. Such cultivation will ensure the survival of seedlings. For each flower in the flowerbed, it is important to make a slight elevation: over time, the earth will sag, so at the time of rooting, the seedling will be reliably protected from the formation of water stagnation. This method of planting will protect the plant in winter frost and thaw.
Creation of crests for white irises
On the flower bed, you need to make several ridges, the distance between which should be at least 80-90 cm. Using a rake, two parallel ridges are formed with hollows in the middle. They should be filled with water, allowed to soak into the ground, and then form ridges. You can not plant plants very tightly. If you plan to place irises on ridges for no more than 1 year, then it is permissible to make a distance between the seedlings of 20-25 cm. With a constant deployment (3-4 years), the bushes should be located at least 40 cm from each other, since irises grow very much .
Rules for planting irises
So, how to plant irises and when is it better to do? Optimal time is from April to March. Also auspicious month for planting white iris bushes is August, a suitable time of day is evening, after sunset. Under such conditions, plants take root faster. You can’t bury them too deep, however, and to set them too high is also not recommended. It will be optimal to make a wide hole where to pour a handful of sand on which to put the rhizome, and evenly place the roots inside the recess. After this, everything should be sprinkled with earth and compacted. The placement of the iris must be done so that the cut sheet part is at an angle of about 45 degrees relative to the windy side. This arrangement of the seedling will prevent the roots from turning out during strong winds, the leaves will spring and will not be able to break.
If necessary, you can transplant plants. This is permissible immediately after flowering (June - September). Categorical is not recommended to do this during flowering, since during this period their roots become weak and are not able to hold the scapula of leaves in the wind.
Iris Care Rules
As a rule, plants take root in a new soil after a month, after which new leaves begin to grow. There are differences in the care of irises, the landing of which occurred in late summer - early autumn or after flowering.
The need for moisture is also made dependent on the growing conditions and on the variety. Watering the seedlings must be done on hot summer days, and in the conditions of the southern regions, crests near the roots should be sprinkled with light sand to reflect sunlight. It is much easier to care for irises planted at the end of summer or autumn, as the earth dries out less, watering is less required. If excess water accumulates, it is recommended to make a ditch for drainage.
In wet summers, periodic treatment with fungicides will be required, to which an insecticide should be added to the solution, eliminating plants from voracious insects. According to the rules, processing is done in the morning, in the daytime, when the heat subsides, or at sunset. The temperature of the solution should be about 20 degrees.
The flowering of white irises occurs mainly in May-June, but there are a number of later varieties that delight with beauty from late June to July. However, if the summer is cold, then the buds will not form, respectively, the iris will bloom only next year.
The soil should be loosened and fed, but using only mineral fertilizers. It is permissible that they contain phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen, since these flowers (white iris) accept only mineral elements. In equal proportions in three terms, fertilizer is applied to the soil. The first feeding should be carried out when the first sprouts only appear above the ground. The second time fertilizers are applied in a month. Complete feeding is necessary after flowering. Another option for fertilizing irises is also possible. Phosphorus and nitrogen are used in the first feeding, in the second process all useful elements are added, and in the third - only phosphorus and potassium. During the growing season, 9 g of minerals per 1 m 2 of soil will be required. It is necessary to remember the following: since the rhizomes of the plant are on the surface, feeding can only be done in dissolved and liquid form.
At the end of the summer season, an iris is often harmed by an insect called a winter scoop. To prevent plants from dying, you should periodically inspect the leaves and the root system for insects and oviposition, as they quickly turn into caterpillars that can quickly destroy seedlings. Caterpillars should not be allowed to winter in the soil, otherwise with the onset of spring they will finally bring the irises to death.
Conservation of irises in the winter
White irises must be carefully prepared for the winter. In late autumn, before the onset of frost and before the first snow falls, it is necessary to shorten the leaves by half, inspect, treat with pesticides if necessary, and loosen the soil with the addition of nitrogen fertilizers. You can cover irises in dry weather. First of all, you need to sprinkle the back of the root with clean sand, and then peat to a height of up to 7 cm. As a result, you will get a mound along which water will drain well. In some cold regions, dry leaves are used to shelter white irises.
As a rule, this garden culture is resistant to frost, but a thaw for green pets can be fatal, as the water collects from the roots. But the plant is not in danger if it is planted on an elevation and well covered.
With the onset of spring, shelter must be removed early, in two approaches. Peat is harvested first, and after a few days it will be possible to rake sand - so as not to harm delicate and young shoots. For better growth and giving the plant an aesthetic appearance, it is worthwhile to remove dead, dried leaves, free the backs of rhizomes, ventilate and peel them, treat them with pesticide and sprinkle with new, clean sand.
As a rule, irises in spring do not need abundant watering. Repeated exposure to chemicals should be carried out shortly before flowering, the duration of which is more than a month. The faded arrows of the plant are supposed to be cut or broken. After this, irises need to be fed and processed, because it is during this period that young flower buds are formed. Bushes need to be grown in one place for no more than 3-4 years, then dug up, divided into several parts and transplanted to a new place, otherwise the plant will cease to bloom regularly.
Popular varieties of white iris
As already mentioned, several hundred species have irises. White varieties are always in demand: flowers are used to create bouquets, decorate flower beds and personal plots, and interior.
There are many German varieties of white iris. For example, Immortaliti has a delicate white color, with a lemon yellow middle. Bushes reach a height of 75 cm, the flowering period falls on May-June. Iris Immortaliti is a perennial plant, its petals are even, peduncles erect, not requiring a garter.
The Bianca variety reaches a height of 90 cm. It is a photophilous plant that does not tolerate excess moisture, therefore it is planted in a warm, lit, protected from excess moisture. Flowering occurs in May-June.
Dawn Waltz inflorescence is very similar to an orchid. Up to two months, the plant can delight with its pale pink flowers with pearl pink styles.
The Esther CDM irises gained popularity in the 1980s. They have very powerful stems, large green leaves and huge snow-white flowers like the first snow, which appear only at the end of June.
The name of the variety Mesmerizer from Hungarian is translated as "hypnotize", "bewitch". Admittedly, the beauty of a plant is truly capable of captivating.
The name of the bearded variety Lacy Snowflake in Russian sounds like Lacy Snowflake. No comments.
Iris White Nights causes several associations: with nights in St. Petersburg and the famous southern park "White Nights" in the vicinity of Sochi. It has a medium-sized inflorescence, height up to 70-90 cm, blooms for a long time in June-July. Able to tolerate winter without much shelter.
Smiling Angel (or Smiling Angel) is an exquisite variety. Their delicate shade will be in harmony with any gamut of colors. White irises are perfectly combined with other types of flowers; they look self-sufficient both in group and in a separate planting.
Reproduction of irises
Propagation of the plant occurs by dividing the rhizome into several parts or by its shares with the kidneys. The favorable period for this is the end of summer - the beginning of autumn, and only after 4-5 years of bush growth in one place. If you do otherwise, the iris simply stops blooming, because over time, flower buds cease to form on the rhizome. Every year, the plant forms new root links with a bunch of leaves that resembles a fan. The simplest method of reproduction is considered to divide the annual link into pieces. For two days they will need to be left in the room so that protective wound tissue forms on the slices. They can also be sprinkled with crushed coal.
If it is not possible to wait 4-5 years, many gardeners recommend seed breeding. Each variety has its own characteristics when propagating. For example, white Siberian or Japanese irises can be grown from seeds without much difficulty, and bearded ones, on the contrary, are more difficult to reproduce as seedlings appear only 2-3 years after sowing.
Irises in cosmetology, pharmaceuticals and cooking
But these beauties perform not only a decorative function. Irises are widely used in medicine in the fight against tuberculosis. The essential oil used in cosmetology and starch, which is used in the confectionery industry, are made from their roots. As you can see, delicate, exquisite flowers not only delight the eye, but also bring practical benefits!