The iris plant belongs to the iris family. About 250 different varieties are known that grow in Europe and Asia, in North America, as well as in some regions of Africa. About 60 different species are found in Russia. Plants mainly grow in open spaces, on the banks of water bodies, in steppe and desert zones. Iris is a distant relative of gladiolus.
Iris plant: description
This is a perennial and unique herbaceous plant with a strong rhizome. He distinguishes two types of shoots - vegetative and generative. Thin leaves with a wax coating are united in fan-shaped tufts at the base of the peduncles.
Some varieties have no or very few stem leaves. Single flowers are located in inflorescences, they differ in a unique aroma and elegant shape. There is a huge palette of shades from snow-white to dark purple. Large and beautiful flowers are made up of six petal-shaped lobes. Three outer lobesusually slightly inclined downwards.
Iris plant: characteristics and description of varieties
Iris boasts a variety of colors and duration of flowering. Popular varieties:
- Bearded is the most popular garden iris. On the outer petals at the base there are strips of hairs, which are very noticeable against the general background. There are short, medium and large plants. Height reaches 70 cm.
- The Siberian iris plant is distributed from northern Italy to Lake Baikal. This species is also found in the Caucasus, Turkey and the Komi Republic. On a branched stem there are several huge leaves. Magnificent flowers are located on pedicels. Light gray seeds were hidden in the box.
- Dwarf common in arid cereal steppes. In addition, it can be found on lime slopes and sands. The iris reaches a height of no more than 15 cm. The leaves are bluish in color. Peduncle about 3 cm high, the plant begins to bloom in May. It tolerates the lack of moisture.
- Dutch has a special underground organ instead of a rhizome, which contains nutrient reserves. On the stem are dense, narrowly grooved leaves. The peduncle grows an average of 80 cm. The flower can be monophonic or two-tone. This variety is very thermophilic and needs protection from wind and cold in winter.
- The marsh iris plant has attractive bright yellow flowers, decorated with stubby strokes. Blooms from early May to June. This variety is heat-loving and winter-hardy,loves direct sunlight. In the wild, it grows mainly near floodplains of rivers and banks of reservoirs. It can be seen in Europe, China and the Far East.
- Xiphoid is considered a late flowering variety. The leaves are not wide and do not exceed 40 cm in height. The flowers are flat with small inner and wide outer petals. The height of the peduncle is approximately 70 cm. It begins to bloom in mid-summer and blooms until the end of August.
Brief description of the iris plant:
Bearded irises get their name from their colored hairs located on the outer perianth segments. In appearance, the hairs resemble a beard.
Siberian varieties are distinguished by unpretentiousness and resistance to frost. In addition, cut leaves have a decorative value.
Japanese irises can only be divided after five to seven years, as they have a longer decorative effect and yield. In early spring or autumn, this species is divided.
There are three groups of irises:
- undersized - the height of the peduncle is 20–35 cm;
- medium-sized - peduncle from 35 to 70 cm;
- tall - peduncle more than 70 cm.
Features
Depending on the species, the iris plant (planting and care of which are described below) also has different root systems. They are refined, fibrous, fleshy and slightly branched. The leaves are usually xiphoid, with a waxy coating, green in color. The condition of the flower can be determined by the bloom. An even layer means that the iris does not get sick. The leaves keepdecorative look until the beginning of autumn. The flowers are large, of various colors (blue, white, blue, pink, etc.). Several shades of flowers can be on the same corolla, but solid colors are not uncommon.
Flowering
The iris plant blooms (photo below) from early May to mid-summer.
The average lifespan of an inflorescence is three days. In the summer, a flower bud forms on the rhizome. The fruit of the iris consists of a box with three nests. If the summer period was not hot, then the buds do not form and the next year the iris will not bloom.
Growing
Japanese irises love warm weather, so if bred in the northern regions, they grow well and bloom mainly indoors. Siberian varieties are resistant to frost, and bearded irises are less whimsical than the above two species.
Cultivation requires well-drained, fertile and moist soil. Excess moisture is removed. When planting a plant in heavy soils, it is recommended to add garden soil, sand or special fertilizers. Top dressing is applied at the rate of half a ten-liter bucket per 1 m22. If soil neutralization is needed, then bone meal is used, Siberian irises do not like lime.
Nutritional application
During growth and development, the plant needs to be fed with inorganic complex fertilizers, which include potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. Fertilization is carried out for three times. The first - as soon as the plant hatched fromsoil. The second time - about thirty days after the first top dressing. And the last time - when the plant has faded.
You can apply another way. In the first stage, only nitrogen and phosphorus substances are added. In the second, potassium is added to the previous elements, and in the third place, only potash and phosphorus fertilizers. During the growing season, nine grams of the above fertilizers per square meter should be applied. Top dressing is added exclusively in a liquid state.
Reproduction
Work on the separation of the roots is carried out at the end of the summer period or at the beginning of autumn, approximately four years after the plant grows in one place. If this operation is not carried out, the iris will not bloom, because four years after planting, flower buds stop forming. For this reason, to obtain abundant flowering, the roots should be divided or their upper part should be removed.
One of the simple methods of rhizome division is the formation of annual links with a bunch of leaves. Each link is divided into separate pieces with kidneys. After the cut, they are left in a dry, warm room for 48 hours, during which time the cuts form a protective wound tissue. In addition, cuts can be sprinkled with crushed coal.
Seedlings are placed in containers and stored indoors, as rooting occurs in winter. Rhizomes dug out in autumn should be stored in a cool, dry place. When planting roots in spring, they are cut in advance to 8-10 cm, in autumnor summer period - by two-thirds.
Transplanting after 4-5 years is a fairly long time, so the plant can be propagated by seeds. Each variety has its own characteristics. Siberian and Japanese irises can be grown from seeds without any problems, but bearded ones are a little more difficult, since their seeds have a thick cover, and seedlings appear in the second or third year. Scientists believe that propagation by seeds is best used in breeding, as this method does not guarantee good plant growth.
Care
For Siberian and Japanese varieties, soils that are well able to retain moisture are suitable, and soil with a slightly acidic or neutral environment is suitable for bearded varieties. Fertilizers must be applied to non-chernozem soil.
Each type of plant needs a different amount of water. For example, Siberian iris requires constant watering during flowering, and bearded iris prefers moderate watering.
Irises are best placed in sunny or semi-shaded areas. If you plant a plant in a continuous shade, then it will stop flowering. Japanese and bearded species can tolerate heavy shade.
Useful properties of the plant
Currently, only a few varieties of the iris plant are acceptable for use in medical practice. For example, Florentine and German. The main raw materials are the roots of the plant due to the content of a unique essential oil. Three years after planting irisstart making them. The roots are washed with water, cleaned of lateral processes, then dried. Store in closed containers.
In the roots of irises there is a huge amount of ascorbic acid, starch, sugar and many other equally useful components.
Medical applications
When crushed orris root is added to an aromatic lamp, it has a calming effect.
Decoction of the roots of the iris plant is used:
- as an aid to colic;
- for bronchitis and tonsillitis;
- as a symptomatic treatment for headaches;
- for resorption of solid tumors;
- in cosmetology, helps reduce freckles and acne, reduce the depth of wrinkles;
- stimulates the growth of hair follicles and is used for hair loss, dandruff, and in addition, makes them look shiny.
From iris you can make a tincture, which is used for toothaches. The rhizomes are used to make breast tea. On the basis of iris, homeopathic preparations are made, which are used in the treatment of diseases of the pancreas.
In order to prepare a tincture of iris, you need to stir 15 g of raw materials in a glass of boiling water. You can take it up to six times a day, one tablespoon. The dry roots of the plant are an excellent expectorant, blood purifier and diuretic.
Contraindications to the use of the iris plant - individual intolerance.
Mainly flower growers growSiberian, Japanese and bearded irises. In gardens, marsh iris with yellow flowers is also common.
