Iris bulbous has long been attributed to the genus of irises, highlighting them in a separate group of bulbous. And only in the middle of the last century, “false” irises were singled out as an independent genus. Iridodictium - small-bulb irises. Xifium - large-bulb representatives of irises.
It must be said that these two species are completely different. And if you have to tinker with the second ones, then the first ones are completely unpretentious plants. It is about them that we will discuss further.
Iridodictiums (bulb irises) have graceful flowers that really look like iris flowers. In Russia, they are also called "irises", which means - desirable, sweet. They are distinguished by unpretentiousness in cultivation, and different flowering periods will help to give you pleasure for quite a long time. They appear at the same time as crocuses. Unlike large-bulb irises, flowers develop earlier than leaves.
The very first bulbous iris "Dunford" will appear - an impatient baby (10 cm high) with yellow small flowers ingreenish dot. This tenacious soldier will bravely withstand night frosts and other troubles of early spring. This plant was found in the mountains of Turkey, and introduced into cultivation by Ms. Dunford, hence the name of the variety.
Reticulated bulbous irises are the most popular iridodictiums in culture, there are more than 20 varieties. They begin to bloom in early April, almost at the same time as large-flowered crocuses.
Flowering lasts up to 3 weeks, the plant is unpretentious in cultivation, reproduces well vegetatively. For a year it forms up to four young bulbs, the length of which is 3-4 cm, and the diameter is not more than 1.5-2.5 cm, while the bulb has a retinal-fibrous membrane. The height of these irises reaches 15 cm, fragrant flowers are 5-7 cm in size. They can be juicy blue, blue or purple, with a white or bright yellow-orange spot on the lower petal. The most popular varieties are Edward, Harmony, Paulina, Canteb. But the varieties "Natasha" and "Alba" will be white.
As mentioned above, growing bulbous iris is easy. This is a winter-hardy crop that does not require special care. It does best in sunny, open areas with neutral, well-drained, or slightly alkaline soil. The only condition is dry content during the summer dormancy. In nature, it can be found in the mountains and foothills of Central and Asia Minor, as well as in the Caucasus.
Therefore, spring withrainfall, dry summers, and winters - snowy and without thaws. If your climate does not correspond to this, but, on the contrary, provides too rainy summers, then bulbous iris should be planted near a large tree (on the south side) or on an elevated hill. You can also dig up the bulbs after flowering in the summer, this should be done as soon as the leaves begin to lie down, and their upper part turns yellow. Bulbs should be stored in a dark place in sawdust. And starting from the end of September and in October, they are planted again at a depth of 7-8 cm, with a distance between plants of 10-15 cm. Iridodictiums are great for spacious flower beds, for flowerpots in the yard, for alpine slides and lawns with large stones. With their early flowering and rich colors, they are a delight after a long and monotonous winter.
