IRISES IN THE CALIFORNIA GARDEN 
SYDNEY B. MITCHELL 
University of California 
Regional Vice-President of the American Iris Society 
Many of the New Hybrids as Well as the Older Varie- 
ties Readily Adaptable to West Coast Conditions 
J ^gTNTIL recently it might be said that, in general, tall 
P|l Bearded Irises throve equally well on Atlantic or 
N/ Pacific coasts. To those with experience in both it 
r%f was, of course, noticeable that the pallida and trojana 
groups, coming from the warm Mediterranean countries, were 
exceedingly vigorous in California, while Irises of the variegata. 
section, native to Austria, were less happy than in the East or 
[ North. Indeed two of these, 1. aurea (variegata) and Maori 
King, can hardly be induced to grow for any length of time in our 
dry climate. But the introduction of cypriana, mesopotamica, 
and its variety Ricardi from warm, dry Asia Minor, and their 
use in breeding for large size and taller growth, has resulted in 
seedlings often ill-adapted to the cold and moisture of the eastern 
United States chiefly because of their fall growth of foliage. 
Some of these are now being offered by growers who imported 
stock from Europe, and others will follow shortly. California 
gardeners should watch for them, as they do wonderfully under 
our conditions. The following are all worthy of note: 
i. mesopotamica — A huge spreading flower with soft blue 
standards and purple-blue falls. The flower is, to me, rather 
coarse and not of the best shape, and its tall stem is often 
twisted, but it has a long blooming season, beginning in March. 
Those interested in breeding Iris for California and the south- 
west will find it a wonderful parent. Mrs. J. Dean in the 
. southern part of the state and Mr. William Mohr in the north 
have found it of great value. The latter, crossing it with such 
older Bearded Iris as Juniata, Oriflamme, and Parisiana, has 
raised seedlings of taller and more vigorous growth and larger 
flowers than I have seen outside of the related Ricardi hybrids. 
The stems are straight 
and stiff and flowers 
are generally of good 
form though in color 
still confined to blue, 
lavender, lilac, and 
mauve. These are not 
yet in commerce, and 
probably will not be 
introduced until still 
further improved. 
i. ricardi is a va- 
riety of mesopotamica 
used by M. Ferdinand 
Denis in breeding Iris 
adapted to southern 
France. M. Denis 
raised many other 
Bearded Irises not re- 
markable for size, but 
his Ricardi hybrids 
are in a class by them- 
selves on account of 
their extreme vigor, 
tall stems, and large 
flowers. Of these 1 can 
recommend the fol- 
lowing for California 
gardens: 
Madame Durand — 
Standards are putty color flushed mauve, falls like a paler 
Eldorado, a six-inch flower on a very tall branched stem. It 
is absolutely distinct, its huge flowers like waving banners, very 
effective in the garden and also, because of their unusual color, 
attractive when cut. 
Le Verrier — Similar in growth and size but a pink-toned 
bicolor. Standards are light lavender pink, falls rose. Not 
quite so striking, yet very fine. 
Mile. Schwarti — A tall, floriferous pinkish lavender self. 
This does well in northern France and England, so may be satis- 
factory in the eastern United States. Not unlike Miss Sturte- 
vant’s Queen Caterina. Arsace (Denis) is also a good deal like 
it. 
M. Claude Monet — A cross between Ricardi and Kochii, 
of tall growth with large spreading flower of Kochii color but 
somewhat veined at base of falls, a novelty valued for its size 
and rich color. 
Ricardi Fonce — Standards light violet, falls darker, with tall, 
flexuous stem and large flowers, but not so attractive or unusual 
in color as some others. This grows vigorously and increases 
rapidly. 
J. B. Dumas — Not as tall or quite as large as other Ricardi 
hybrids I have seen, but still much the largest of its color. It 
is a pink near Her Majesty in shade, but with a cream throat 
veined bronze. 
Troost — A large, heavily veined pink flower, is worth a trial 
though it lacks the tall growth of the other Ricardi hybrids and 
though its poorer substance detracts from its character. 
Hautfeuille — A nice red violet in two shades; can be recom- 
1 RIS UNGUICULARIS 
The Iris stylosa of trade; the lovely blooms here pictured 
were grown in the Dean Iris Gardens at Moneta, California 
mended as desirable, 
but though it is 
classed in this section 
it has neither the large 
flowers nor the very 
tall growth charac- 
teristic of the best 
Ricardi hybrids. 
O F THE many 
hybrids from 
the garden of the late 
Sir Michael Foster 
some may be grown 
anywhere, but where 
cypriana, a relative of 
mesopotamica, is one 
of the parents, they 
seem to be more uni- 
formly satisfactory in 
California. Of these 
Caterina is the best 
known. Its large, very 
fragrant, lavender 
flowers veined bronze 
at base of falls are 
somewhat bluer than 
pallida dalmatica. In 
California it grows 
very strongly, blooms 
257 
