Growing iris from seeds

Discussion in 'Propagation This Month' started by sal73, Feb 17, 2013.

  1. sal73

    sal73 Total Gardener

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    Has anyone ever grown iris from seeds?
    I was reading that actually iris from seeds will not be a true species or perhaps
    they will be a new species .

    how long will they take before flowering?
     
  2. joolz68

    joolz68 Total Gardener

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    Hi sal,i grew some 1&half yr ago from the pond iris seeds,i just put them in pots on top of compost with a layer of grit over them and left them under my bamboo over winter plant in a tray of water,they were about 6inch tall after 7months and i planted them but i will have to give you an update this spring to see how much more they grow :)
     
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    • sal73

      sal73 Total Gardener

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      Thank Joolz , mine are tropical (not really sure) so not sure they need cold to germinate
      but I`ve never seen any similar , the leaves are about 5 feet high and the flower really impressive , got the white version as well .

      [​IMG]
       
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      • mowgley

        mowgley Total Gardener

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        Ive just potted some seed up today from yellow flag iris. Popped them on the heat mat.
         
      • stephenprudence

        stephenprudence GC Weather Guru

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        wow what an Iris Sal.. looks like an Iris with the midst of a Stapelia, wonderful stuff. What's the hardiness.. and if you ever get bulbs.. you know where to send them :snork:
         
      • sal73

        sal73 Total Gardener

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        this is the white version I`m talking about .

        [​IMG]

        I`ve got the suspicious that they are tropical iris and will need overwintering indoor or greehouse .

        this is another one as well .

        [​IMG]

        but the blue version was impressive for the orchids like leaves

        [​IMG]
         
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        • stephenprudence

          stephenprudence GC Weather Guru

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          thats bizarre.. I would have said those leaves were Chlorophytum straight away.
           
        • Sheal

          Sheal Total Gardener

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          I grew dwarf iris from seed late 2011 and doing so again now. Germination is quite temperamental. After sowing they need a long cold spell (frost) and then move them into heat. The ones I started last November I gave up with, nothing seemed to trigger them so I put them in the greenhouse and left them to it, I now have 18 out of 24 seedlings.

          As yet I don't know whether they come true to type, I can let you know in a couple of months when the first ones should flower.
           
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          • longk

            longk Total Gardener

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            Where did you get the seed from Sal?

            I'm no expert, but the blue and white ones may be Moraea. Sirius needs to see this (and probably pronounce me wrong!). It is the stamens that made me think that..............
             
          • sal73

            sal73 Total Gardener

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            Longk !!!!!!!!!! an expert like you :doh:
            I would expected to see an iris like that from your collection

            they are Neomarica and Dietes

            where did I get the seeds from ?????........:whistle:

            I honestly though that it was a combination of iris and spider plants , then late I understood that the iris reproduce it self like a spider plant :doh:

            the seeds are fresh and doubt that cold will help to germinate .
             
          • longk

            longk Total Gardener

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            I quote myself!!!

            OH germinated Dietes at room temperature. She found out the hard way that the seedlings are not hardy though:oopss:
             
          • ben01

            ben01 Gardener

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            Hi all, well I started Iris from seed last summer and they sporadically germinated from September onwards. I just left them in my unheated greenhouse and they have grown on quite well. The one's I have grown are a species mixed from plant world seeds and Pacific Coast hybrids from T&M. I am growing stinking Iris this year I just sown them in January in my unheated greenhouse, no signs of life just yet but will soon see.

            So my experience so far is that they are easy to grow from seed. I also grew Iris Dietes, but only one seed sprouted of 10 and it seems to be doing ok. Allthough it is still very small.
             
          • longk

            longk Total Gardener

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            Pop up like weeds here Ben!
             
          • Palustris

            Palustris Total Gardener

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            The Pacific Coast hybrid Iris do not like root disturbance so prick them out as small plants very carefully and get them growing on as quickly as possible into planting out size. I can get the seed of these to germinate like Cress, but getting them to reach flowering size is another matter.
             
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