Catalog I

IBERIS (Candytuft). Neat dark green evergreen foliage is covered with white flowers in May. Plant in sun or part shade. We feature Autumn Snow, which reblooms in September without fail, and Purity, an old variety. To Zone 3.

IPOMOPSIS aggregata (Scarlet Rocket, Gilia). To 6 ft. (More like 4 ft. here). Showy spikes of intense red flowers, July & August. Biennial Plains wildflower. Zone 5 or warmer

IRISES, IRISES, IRISES

Phoenix Flower Farm grows over 1000 varieties of irises. That may seem excessive--sometimes it does to us--but the iris family is a large one and has been extensively hybridized. We grow at least a sampling of each species and subspecies that will live in Central New York. Irises are broadly divided into Bearded (Eupogons) and Beardless (Apogons).

BARE ROOT IRISES FOR LANDSCAPING: Beardless irises are good landscapers. We prepare #1 divisions for planting, and provide instructions. I. pseudocorus (Yellow Flag) and Siberians are 25 for $75; Japanese and I. versi-color (blue flag) 25 for $89. Varieties, where applicable, our choice. Available May and September .

BEARDED IRISES. The best known bearded iris are the Tall Bearded (erroneously called German) but there are five

groups of smaller-than-tall bearded iris that deserve a spot in your garden. In general, the smaller in size, the earlier the bloom. The little guys have fewer blossoms on a stalk, but they make up for that by really fast increase. Heres a rundown of the bearded classes, in approximate order of bloom. They carry the internationally accepted designations of the American Iris Society. The Miniature Dwarfs (MDB's)

sometimes bloom as early as the last week of April and other classes follow at 10-day to two week intervals, with much overlap due to variability of cultivars. During Tall Bearded season (roughly June 1 - 15) the beardless species kick in.

Bearded iris grow from rhizomes (RYE-z-oh-mz). They require full sun and well-drained soil. The early bloomers can be planted in deciduous woods because they bloom before the trees leaf out. All bearded irises are tolerant of a range of soil types and of summer drought. We dig bearded irises between April 15 and August 31, but mostly while they are in bloom so that you can see exactly what you are getting.

Bearded irises are most often sold bareroot, but we do offer

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selected varieties in pots. The bareroot prices below are for standard varieties; new introductions will be more expensive.

DWARF BEARDED IRISES (MDB's, SDB's)

Height: MDB's to 8 Inches; SDB's 8 to 15 Inches

Price $2 each, 3 of a kind $4.99; 6 assorted $9.99

Highest Award: MDB's Caparne-Welch Medal (CWM);

SDB's Cook-Douglas Medal (CDM)

INTERMEDIATE BEARDED IRISES (IB'S)

Height 16 to 27 Inches

Price $3.50 each, 3 of a kind $9; 5 assorted $15

Highest Award: Hans & Jacob Sass Medal (Sass)

MINIATURE TALL BEARDED IRISES (MTB's)

Height 16 to 25 inches.

Price $3.50 each, 3 of a kind $9, 5 assorted $15

Highest Award: Williamson-White Medal (WW)

BORDER BEARDED (BB), TALL BEARDED (TB) IRIS

Height: BB's 16 to 28 Inches; TB's Over 28 Inches

Price: $5 each; 3 of same variety $12; 6 assorted $25.

Highest Awards: BB's Knowlton Medal (KM);

TB's Wister Medal (WM)

BEARDLESS IRISES, MISCELLANEOUS SPECIES

The beardless iris--Siberians, Japanese, Louisianas, Spurias, and others--are often overlooked. Even gardeners who properly value them for their graceful>

Beardless iris culture differs in several ways from bearded iris practices. Beardless iris require more moisture, at least when first transplanted. That's the reason we sell them in pots. Beardless iris will tolerate some shade and still flower. Once established, they require less care than bearded iris and will bloom for many years without division. Though iris borer does attack them you will seldom lose an entire plant to borer, probably because most beardless varieties have smaller rhizomes and more of them.

Most of the beardless species are excellent landscape plants, giving a strong vertical accent and maintaining attractive foliage into the Fall. Siberians are the best all-around irises for Central New York. If you can provide the necessary acid soil, you will enjoy the elegant Japanese irises (I. ensata). For alkaline soils the spuria family is the best choice. Louisiana irises are hybrids of several species native to the Mississippi Valley. Selected varieties grow as far north as Minnesota. Louisianas actually grow in water, not just near it, as does the wild "yellow flag" (I. pseudacorus). All the beardless species do well on stream banks and other near-water locations. Make it a point to look at some of the more unusual irises when you visit us--you're sure to find one that's just right for your garden.

SIBERIANS. Caesar's Brother is a fine Siberian iris, but it was introduced in 1932 and many hybridizing advances have

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occurred since! You may be surprised to know that there are pink and lavender Siberians, and better yellows all the time. Highest award for a Siberian, short of the Dykes Medal, is the Morgan-Wood Medal, formerly the Morgan Award (Mor). We always have an assortment of Siberians potted and can recommend for your landscaping needs.

JAPANESE. These aristocratic irises require moisture during the growing season but their crowns must be dry during freezing weather; the bank of a stream or pond is ideal. Highest award is the Payne Medal (PA). The JIs typically bloom late June into July here.

UNUSUAL IRIS SPECIES

I. bulleyana. 18-20". Native to western Asia.

I. chrysographes. 24". (Black iris). One of the Siberian iris    species--very striking.

I. cristata (Dwarf Crested). 6". Blue or white flowers the size

of a quarter; charming native for part shade. Z3.

I. pallida Variegata and Aureo Variegata have pale blue

flowers, but are grown for white and yellow foliage stripes.

I. setosa var. arctica (nana). Charming 12" plant native to

   North America. Blue flowers in June.

I. tectorum (Japanese Roof Iris). 12-18". This charming

lavender-blue species is grown like a bearded iris, in well-

drained soil, though partial shade is OK. It has a delicate

and open flower form, and foliage that maintains its quality

well into the Fall. Alba is the white form.