G'day people-- I've only been growing Japanese iris for a couple years, 2 seasons in fact and I'm well and truly hooked.So easy to grow and such beautiful blooms, as well as providing habitat for frogs.
Who else appreciates these iris?

Japanese Irises are gorgeous! I wish I could grow them here but my climate does not make it a happy place for them. I do grow Louisiana irises and enjoy them.

Vanozzi! I too love Japanese iris (and Louisiana's too). They are so graceful in form. I just planted several last summer. If they do well, I plan on increasing their numbers! There are some other members on this site that have beautiful Japanese iris. The member, pirl, has posted many pictures of ones in her garden that have made me drool.

I have one old timer clump of Japanese iris that are common here in North Carolina. I will have to post pictures when I get to my home computer.

I have a few ... I really like them, but hate to even look at more since I have lack of space to put them.

Hi Van --

I have no Japanese Iris, but love to look at the pictures!!

I got to thinking my post could be taken the wrong way. I too love to look at the photos!!! ... of all plants and flowers, especially on dreary winter days. I just have to resist the temptation to go out looking for a source when I see one I think I really want.

Hi, vanozzi. Sort of new to Iris in general, but I would like to tempt my luck with some Japanese Iris next year. Be very interested to see any photographs you have.

Van ! I gather from your badge, you're from "Down under" ?! I just planted my first JI this year......we'll see how it likes an Illinois winter, and then the hot, dry , Illinois summer before I plant any more...but, if you don't try, you don't know !...........

Vanozzi! I think the Japanese irise are gorgious. I have one I've been nursing along for about 3 years. It's still alive, but that's all I can say for it. We'll see what next year brings. Post your pictures for us though!

I love Japanese Irises too! Started with some inexpensive, unregistered varieties to see if I could grow them successfully. Even though my garden is not as moist as they prefer, after a couple of seasons settling in, they perform very well. The first pic is modern, registered variety, that I have lost the id for, the others are some I started with.

Great photos!

They're beautiful and I would love to be able to grow them, but my soil is too dry here them.

For my dry conditions, I do want introduce more spurias into my garden. I bought my first 2 this year and I can't wait to see them bloom.

Hi Vanozzi! Welcome!

We live in a semi-arid Mediterranean climate. It's too dry for Japanese iris to thrive. I suppose with some research I could learn if they can survive in an irrigated area, but I don't think they would like the sprinklers we use.

I think JI's are beautiful and graceful and I would love to learn more about them. So please feel free to chime in and share with us!

Marilyn - you can grow them in pots, like is often done in Japan. Then watering isn't an issue.

But even in pots would they make it through the heat of our summers outside? My house is small and already loaded with indoor plants...so moving them in is not an option.

Another thought... in our summer heat pots have to be watered daily...which gets time consuming (I have a lot of potted plants already) and expensive because when I go away my son, who has a brown thumb, takes care of them...so I always come home to dead plants, the only questions are...how many and which ones did I lose this time?

Rob and Marilyn, do either of you grow Pacific coast Irises?

I have not had time to look into the PCIs yet...but what I have seen of them is drop dead gorgeous! I know someday I will...but I just havn't gotten there yet. Do you grow them? Can you tell me anything about what kind of environment and care they need?

I don't think they're hardy here. But how bout I'll grow JIs and post pics for you to enjoy, and you grow PCs and post pics for me to enjoy- deal? Then we can feel totally unselfish for obtaining new plants- I'll totally be doing it for you! LOL I'm really good at rationalization aren't I? LOL

Sounds completely logical and reasonable to me, Neal.

I like your thinking Neal!!! Rationalization...nah...I agree with Debra, it's sounds very practical, logical, reasonable, and downright smart to me!

I think I have a much better chance of success with PCIs and then I can enjoy the JIs too! I'm open to suggestions for starters for a PCI collection (if anyone has a favorite that grows well).