Irises are the most beautiful flowers with a pleasant aroma. They can be found on city and country flower beds, on balconies and window sills. Iris won the hearts of flower growers with its charming appearance. The variety of shades allows you to create unique patterns on the flower bed. Experts know more than 500 plant species. They vary in height, can be bulbous or rhizome. Bulb varieties in Russia are considered hybrid.
If you plant irises in a flower bed, you can achieve continuous flowering throughout the season by choosing the right varieties. The flowering period of the plant begins in mid-May and lasts until July. With proper care, you can enjoy excellent flowering for two months.
What colors of the plant does not exist! Breeders brought cherry, terracotta, orange shades. But red irises have not yet been bred. This is due to the fact that the scarlet hue gene is not present in the plant. Therefore, red irises are the dream of any grower. Today, they are replaced by numerous burgundy, purple, brownish, cherry shades, which look original and bright in compositions.
External data
Iris is a perennial of the iris family. The root system is complex, threadlike. There may be several flower stalks. The leaves have sharp ends, sometimes there is a wax coating on them. The leaves are connected in a bundle, located close to the peduncle. The stalk has almost no leaves.
The iris flower has an unusual shape. It has six perianth particles that look like petals. The three outer pieces are folded down, painted a different color than the inner ones.
Varieties
All irises are divided into two types:
- bearded;
- non-bearded.
There is no general classification of these colors in the world. Often they talk about bulbous, rhizome, Dutch varieties. But in Russia, only rhizomatous varieties are considered irises.
Specialists from other countries of the world also include bulbous varieties as irises - for example, Iris Xifium and Juno. Russian experts consider this attribution a big mistake, considering such varieties to be completely different plants.
Xifium includes six species. As a result of their selection, Spanish, English, Dutch irises appeared (the photo of the flowers shows them). They are also found in Russian gardens, however, Spanish ones are very rare due to their low winter hardiness. All these varieties are sold in Russia under the name "hybrid".
Bearded plants are called, on the petals of which there are hairs. Tall bearded irises are called Germanic. Non-bearded plants include many species, including Siberian, marsh, Japanese.
Are there red irises? Indeed, there isplant color classification. In it, red irises are plants with brownish, burgundy, purple colors. They themselves are rare. But pure red irises, as we have already said, do not exist.
Let's look at the descriptions of these varieties.
Known Species
Among red irises, the following varietal varieties are known:
- Deep Fire is a wine-red flower with ruffled petals.
- Copatonic is a red-brown variety with velvety ruby-brown upper petals and red-brown lower petals. Corrugated.
- Warrior King is a cherry red flower of extraordinary beauty, captivating with its brightness.
- New Centurion is a dark carmine red flower very popular with irises.
- Play with Fire - flower with bloody tops and deep red velvet undersides, heavily ruffled.
- Salsa Rio is a dark burgundy with a yellowish sheen.
- Stop the Music - a flower with a burgundy color on the upper parts and a brown-burgundy decoration on the lower parts.
- Bronze Age is a brass-red variety bred in Ukraine.
There are also two-color varieties with a red component. These include:
- Gypsy Caravan - This strain has an amber top and a reddish brown underside.
- Arabian Story - upper part of the flower is yellow, the lower part is burgundy brown, with a purple tint, the color is slightly wavy.
Of course, these are not all varieties. But we have considered the main names of irises.
Nuances of agricultural technology
How to grow red irises? The process of their cultivation involves some tricks.
Among flower growers, there is an opinion that iris is a capricious culture, difficult to care for. But it is not always the case. Knowing the features of growing these plants, you can create a magnificent flower garden on your site. Growing flowers, you should consider the following points:
- The roots of the plant develop in a horizontal direction, so some of them may be exposed. For the winter, the plants are covered with a peat mixture to protect the roots from freezing.
- During the formation of roots, flowers may move from their original planting site. To avoid the destruction of the composition, you need to arrange the irises by placing a fan of leaves parallel to the rows, and not vice versa.
- Bearded varieties are placed in a pit, at the bottom of which sand is poured. At the same time, the pit cannot be deep, otherwise the plant risks dying.
- Organics are not suitable for feeding irises. It is better to use mineral compounds diluted in water.
Transfer to a new location
In order to increase the lifespan of the plant and multiply the flowering, the iris should be transplanted. This is done so that the roots do not grow too much, otherwise the plant will not have the strength to open buds. Irises are transplanted once every 3-4 years. Siberian varieties are transplanted once a decade.
Transplantation is performed immediately after the end of the flowering stage. In the long warm autumn period, you can transplant in mid-October.
Choosing a seat
When choosing a site for the growth of irises, preference should be given to open places with an abundance of sun, but without drafts. Moisture stagnation should also be avoided. Good drainage is essential for these plants.
The soil in which the plant will be planted is pre-enriched with compost or mineral compounds. Acidic soil is diluted with dolomite flour or wood ash. Peat is added to the loam. Clay soil is mixed into sandy soil.
Before planting, the soil is disinfected and impregnated with fungicides or herbicides to prevent weed growth.
Rules of care
Before planting, flowers are treated with growth accelerators. Too long roots are cut off, cleaned of rotten places and disinfected in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 20 minutes.
Bearded irises are planted so that the upper levels of the root system are open. Unbearded, on the contrary, cover with soil. Both those and others are covered with peat or needles to save moisture.
Irises are planted in the ground at intervals of 50 cm due to the horizontal location of the root system.
The plant prefers warmth and light. During the formation of buds, watering should be normalized. Excess moisture can kill flowers, water deficiency will impair flowering. To determine the need for watering, you should analyze the soil around the plant. If it's dry, it's watering time.
Fertilizers
Frequent feeding flowers are not needed. One top dressing of the soil in the spring before planting is enough. Apply potassium and phosphorus compounds. Mineral fertilizers are applied under the root. When flowering began, top dressing is not performed. Repeat flowering is possible if autumn is long and warm.
In preparation for wintering, all flower stalks are removed. As soon as the leaves begin to turn yellow, the plants are cut.
To get rid of parasites after flowering, the leaves are cut by 10-15 cm. They may contain pest larvae, so all the foliage is burned away from the flower bed.
With the advent of cold weather, plant roots are mulched with a mixture of peat and sand. The thickness of the mulching layer is 10 cm. For the winter, the plants are covered with spruce branches or dry foliage. If the winter is snowy, snow serves as a shelter for flowers. With the onset of spring, the snow layer is removed.
Using plants
Red irises are used to create original compositions in flowerbeds. They look good both in group and in single plantings. Irises (photos of flowers are presented in the article) adorn garden paths, rocky slopes. Plants are planted in pots, used in the formation of alpine slides. Almost all varieties are suitable for cutting.
When choosing a variety for the garden, you should take into account the requests of a particular variety. Irises are whimsical in care, they do not like cold and high humidity. Some varieties do not tolerate cold Russian winters. When choosing the type of iris, you should give preference to those that are resistant to diseases and parasites.
Many irisespoisonous, do not eat their roots and leaves. If eaten by mistake, the plant can cause stomach pain and vomiting. The sap of the plant, if it gets on your hands, can cause burns or allergic manifestations.
Industrial and medical applications
Some varieties of irises are used for industrial purposes. The root is ground into powder, added to detergents and cosmetics, toothpastes. It is present in shampoos, shower gels and gives a pleasant fragrance to cosmetics.
In medicine, iris is used as a bacterial, anthelmintic and anti-tuberculosis agent. Eye drops from this plant help to cope with dangerous bacteria. They are used in veterinary medicine.
The root also has an expectorant effect. It contains a lot of essential oil and vitamin C. In folk medicine, the root is used as a local remedy. The popular name of the plant is Kasatik. In no case should you eat the root without consulting a doctor.
Gargling with iris rhizome tincture can relieve toothache. Rubbing the skin with a decoction relieves freckles, treating the scalp treats dandruff. A decoction of iris also helps to stimulate hair growth. Since ancient times, women have used it in order to have lush hair. This remedy also gets rid of unwanted wrinkles.
So, we have considered red irises, plant varieties and features of their cultivation. If you take into account all the necessary nuances, you can create an amazing flower garden on your site.
