Iris Eyes Are Smiling at the Arboretum
If you want to experience the timeless beauty of irises, you might consider making a reservation at the J. Paul Getty Museum for a look at Vincent van Gogh’s painting of “Irises.”
But a simpler way to enjoy the splendor of these flowers would be to attend the annual Iris Show today and Sunday at Los Angeles State and County Arboretum.
The show, sponsored by the Southern California Iris Society, will feature the cream of the crop from Southland iris aficionados. The Artistic Division of the show will display about 50 flower arrangements with irises.
The show also will be an excellent place to get acquainted with irises and Southern California Iris Society members, who will be on hand to offer advice. In addition, iris plants--some in bloom--will be for sale.
The iris has been savored and cultivated for centuries. In France, where it is the national flower, the iris is known as fleur-de-lis and is the basis for the coat of arms of the former French royal family.
The word iris comes from a Greek word meaning rainbow. Irises do come in a rainbow of colors and combinations--white, pink, lavender, blue, tan and reddish-brown. But it is the shape of the blooms that sets irises apart from other flowers.
The iris has three upright petals called standards and three lower drooping petals called falls. The falls are frequently a different color from the rest of the flower.
“Bearded” irises are so named because of a fuzzy patch on the upper part of the falls, which is the beard; the patch is usually a different color from the rest of the flower.
Irises are indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere; they do not occur naturally south of the Equator. They thrive in a wide range of climatic conditions.
Irises fall into three basic classes: bearded, beardless and bulbous.
The bearded irises, the most popular type, produce the most spectacular blooms. The beardless contain many species, the most important to Southlanders being Pacific Coast irises, which are native west of the Sierra from Santa Barbara to Washington. Bulbous irises include Dutch and Spanish irises and are generally more important to florists than to home gardeners.
The bearded and beardless irises are grown from rhizomes that will produce for several years without being disturbed, while bulbous irises grow from bulbs that go dormant in the summer and should be lifted and then planted again in the fall.
Irises have a large following in the United States, with the American Iris Society ranking among the top horticultural societies.
This weekend’s show will feature prime samples of early varieties of bearded irises, some Pacific Coast irises and some of the little-known but beautiful Aril and Arilbred irises. The latter, fairly difficult to grow, are mostly grown by experts.
The Iris Society also will sponsor a show April 28 and 29 at Santa Anita Fashion Park mall in Arcadia. This show will feature later-maturing varieties, and rhizomes will be for sale.
The Southern California Iris Society Iris Show. Today, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Los Angeles State and County Arboretum, 301 N. Baldwin Ave., Arcadia, (818) 446-8251.
