Plant-A-Day 2020 (Day 143) Iris sibirica “Tony’s Seedling”

When I joined the Pacific Bulb Society about seven years ago, I ordered a bunch of seeds from their seed exchange. I joined an Iris group and did the same with them. I had several iris plants make it to adulthood, but this is the only one still alive and thriving. Unfortunately, this plant has ended up in semi-shade and it isn’t blooming as robustly as I’d like, but it still gets flowers and puts on a show.

The flowers are fantastic in their season, but that season is maddeningly short. I might get three weeks of color, if I’m lucky. The plants don’t add much to the garden after that, so I try to grow other scene stealers that bloom a bit later nearby to distract from the plain iris leaves.

My 2020 plans for this plant are to divide it and move a division or two the memory garden where it can get some sun and maybe bloom more prolifically. My next iris seed starting efforts will be to grow some native Seattle iris species.