THE LOUISIANA IRIS RHACHES STARDOM 
Caroline Dormon 
The first time I saw some gorgeous iris growing in ditches by the roadside, 
little did I think they would one day be world famous! In 1920, while visiting 
Mrs. AeF. Storm at Morgan City, 1 spied them, in masses of lovely color, 
Naturally, my discovery left me breathless with excitement. On my return 
home I searched through the botanies, but could find only little rust-red I. fulva, 
which was named many years ago. With doubt and misgiving, I brought a few plants 
to try in my North Louisiana hill country. Some of these original clenes flourish 
there today. This collection has been allowed its own sweet will, and it is inter- 
esting to observe that there are still typical I, giganticaerulea forms among them. 
The next news I had of these irises was when Dr. J,K. Small made his start- 
ling discovery of the great New Orleans fields in 1926. He really saw them in 1925, 
but did not begin their study until the next year. He explored a large area, dur- 
ing several years, and collected hundreds of forms, Many of these he named, had 
painted, and published pictures and deseriptions in ADDISONIA (New York Botanical 
Garden). He told me that he received letters from several foreign countries, ask- 
ing information about the new irises. This was the first publicity our Gypsy beau- 
ties received, but, unlike the Hollywood stars, they remained shy and retiring. 
They still did not "catch on" horticulturally, 
From Dr. Small I learned that a few persons in and around New Orleans had 
quietly collected some of these irises and had them growing in their gardens. The 
first time he came to Briarwood he brought me a sack of rhizomes, Under pressure, 
he admitted that these were only good varieties of blue and violet. "But isn't 
there someone in New Orleans who would guide me to whites and reds?" I pleaded. 
He chuckled in a characteristic way and said, "You go to Mrs. B.S. Nelson, She will 
treat you right."" Mrs, Nelson had guided him to some of the finest fields, where 
he collected whites and various color-forms. The late George Thomas, Superinten- 
dent of Parks in New Orleans, collected with Dr. Small, and discovered the first 
native yellow, a smali I. fulva in a bright aureolin shade. He it was who saw the 
iris we now call Cajan growing in the garden of Mr, Faulk. 
Over a period of years Mr, and Mrs. Clifford Lyons collected good native 
iris in the vicinity of New Orleans. They woyld don hipboots and wade the wildest 
bogs, and their selections were excellent. When they moved from the city, they 
gave their collection to Mrs. Cammie Henry. A white was so exquisite that when it 
bloomed Mrs, Henry exclaimed, "That is just an answer to prayer!" So "Answer t” 
Prayer" it became ~- but alas, it has joined the ranks of "lost iris", 
Dr. Small also told me that Mrs, Allen Ellender, of Houma, had Louisiana 
iris growing in her garden, And Randolph Bazet, of the same city, not only grew 
them, but went on several collecting trips with Dr. Small. Joe G. Richard, ever 
awake to the horticultural value of plants, accompanied him on some of his later 
expeditions. An incident which delighted Dr. Small, after the newspapers "broke" 
the story of his iris discoveries, was the receipt of a telegram from Mrs. Robert 
Randolph, of Alexandria, "I want to know," she wired, “how and where I can get 
some of these iris?" 
The excitement spread. Of course Mrs, Cammie Henry, of Melrose plantation, 
"must" have these iris for her vast gardens, With very fertile soil and unlimited 
soft water, they grew to perfection there. And she wanted every color. Never shall 
I forget a wild trip I took with her and "Fugaboo', her small colored driver. Dr. 
Small had told us that he found reds on Bayou Salle, below Houma. Well, we almost 
drove off into the Gulf - but no reds did we find. We did get some other lovelies, 
however, Mrs. Henry left us a beautiful rose-colored hybrid, an accidental 
seedling, which bears her name. 
The finest collection of all was amassed by Mrs. Dan Debaillon (Mary Swords), 
of Lafayette. ‘She often drove to New Orleans, and, with her keen eye for beauty, 
observed these colorfui flowers growing in sheets around Arabi and Paradis, In . 
1932 she began collecting in earnest. No dilettante, she. Her garden already well’ 
