im_Juno_iris_gal

Click on these thumbnail images to see larger, more complete images.
Most links lead to a mini-gallery of 2 larger pictures.

	Iris willmottiana alba, a compact Central Asian species. Normally with bluish flowers, this is the pristine white form. First flowers this year opened on April 16, 2002, with 3 crisp blossoms.
	Iris willmottiana alba, the photo taken on the same day as the photo above! The buds develop quickly, and by the end of the same day, a total of 10 blossoms had opened. In bloom, the plant is about 8" (20 cm) tall.
	Iris graeberiana - pleasing color form with medium blue flowers and soft chartreuse yellow falls. There's also a handsome white-flowered form.
	Iris bucharica - bicolor form, rather distinct from the normal all-yellow forms, this selection has butter-and-egg color flowers that really stand out, and are fragrant too. One of the best! I believe this variety properly carries the cultivar name 'Princess'
	Iris bucharica 'Dushanbe' - this all- yellow form has lighter standards and deeper color falls with some brown markings.
	Iris bucharica - fine golden yellow form, growing to about 8-9" tall (20-23 cm). This is a plant that was distributed as I. orchioides. Follow the nursery links below to see the true Iris orchoides. Compare flowers of I. bucharica forms
	Emerging Juno iris foliage; it's heavy and robust, and certainly unique among the bulb world. When grown in sand, the rhizomes increase rapidly, two-fold to as much as 6-fold per year.
	Iris x warlsind - Pale smoky blue flowers and sharply curled yellow & purplish-brown falls create a distinct impression. This hybrid is rather similar to one of the parents; I. warleyensis. Both exhibit a sweet scent (many junos seem inodorous).
	Iris warleyensis - on of the nicest species, having fragrant flowers with light blue standards, and strongly contrasting gold, purple-edged falls. The hybrid shown above (Warlsind) certainly gets it's looks from this species.
	Iris vicaria - this is among the most prolific increasers of Juno irises that I've tried. The flowers are very pale blue, but produced rather prolifically and therefore they adequately compensate. It grows to about 14"-16" tall (35 - 40 cm).
	Iris magnifica alba - I like the white form much more that the regular form, which is so pale blue to be almost white. One of the taller species, about 2' (60 cm) in my garden, although said to grow to 3' (1 m)..

These Juno irises all bloom within days of each other, exhibiting
many similarities. They're a bit odd, in that they look just like corn
until the charming flowers appear. The plants grow rapidly in spring,
flowering for only a few days, afterwards going dormant for the summer.
They seem easy to grow if planted in virtually pure sand, with the
rhizomes deeply seated. Mostly from arid areas of Central Asia
and said to resent summer watering, when planted in sand they
don't seem to mind summer rainfalls and irrigation.

Click here to see a blue-flowered Juno iris, I. aucheri

Other links to Juno Iris pictures
The John Lonsdale collection of Iris...some of the same species
and many more lovely photos of hardy, dwarf rock garden Iris.
-
Paul Christian's web page is full of treasures. Check out one of his bulb
galleries (Iris are at the bottom, mostly Junos) or purchase bulbs on-line.
-
Paige Woodward's Pacific Rim Nursery has many bulb photos, including
Juno Iris and other Iris types, all of which can be ordered on-line.

Odyssey Bulbs is a great source for Juno Iris and a host of other
hard-to-find bulbous plants. Check out the 2001 catalog now, although
I've been notified that the 2002 catalog (with pictures) will be posted in
couple of weeks (May 2002). A spring 2002 catalog is available now.

Lithuanian Rare Bulb Garden by Leonid Bondarenko has an excellent
assortment of bulbs of many types. For most offerings, there's a thumbnail
image and a high-quality larger image. Click on the catalog link.

All photos by Mark McDonough