The Evansia or Crested Iris 
Frances E, Cleveland, Rumson Garden Club 
It is surprising that the hardier forms of the Evansia Iris are not 
better known. They are quite distinct from Iris Germanica and have 
great decorative value, either in the hardy border or for in-door use. 
All the Evansias are distinguished by a jagged crest in place of 
the "Beard" of the Germanica type. 
There are only seven members of this family, four of which are 
well adapted for use in the hardy garden in the vicinity of New York; 
but Fimbriata (sometimes called Chinensis or Japonica) Milesii and 
Speculetrix must be avoided by the amateur who has no greenhouse. 
The useful Evansias from the hardy-gardener's point of view are 
(and let me pause to urge everyone to try a few of these, for I know that 
once established in the borders they will win their spurs against all 
comers) : 
Iris Tectorum — the roof Iris of China, where it grows on the thatches 
and blooms abundantly without any care, fertilizers or much moisture. 
The flower is a beautiful violet, the falls mottled with a darker shade. 
The 'Xrest" stands high and is white, spotted with purple, while 
both standards and falls are dehcately crimped or fluted. 
Iris Tectorum Alba — a marvelous vision; its crest flecked with 
gold. Both of these come readily from seed, the white always coming 
true to type. It would be interesting to cross these two, trying for 
the intermediate shades of lavender and mauve. They should be 
planted in the front of the border or in front of a hedge or windbreak 
of some kind where they are perfectly hardy and very floriferous, 
blooming about the first of June. 
Iris Gracilipes — a miniature plant from Japan and resembles the 
large Japanese Iris in its flattened shape but the flowers are only about 
two inches across, of a deUcate pinkish Hlac and with the characteristic 
crest on the falls. The slender grass-like leaves grow nine inches to a 
foot in height, and the thin flower stalk is wiry and strong. The whole 
plant is dehghtf ully graceful and commands admiration from all who 
see it in my garden. The rhizomes are so small and frail that it should 
be transplanted only immediately after flowering (June 15 th) so 
that it may become well estabHshed before frost. It prefers a cool 
position that is shaded from the sun for part of the day, and a fairly 
light soil. 
Iris Cristala and Iris Lacustris — both natives of North America, 
growing wild in damp gravel beside the streams in the Central States. 
Lacustris is merely a dwarfer copy of Cristata. They spread rapidly 
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