Again and Again in December.
By siris
19 comments
In December 2014 Bearded Iris ’Again and Again tried to flower, but the flower buds were destroyed by frosts. It is a remontant (reflowering) Iris. Although I had it since Septemer 2013, it did not flower in spring. I was disappointed that I had never seen the blooms before.
November 22nd 2015, a rhizome produced a flower spike with 3 buds. Two frosty mornings later and the buds were damaged.
A couple of weeks later and a second spike was opening.
Would the weather be warm enough for the buds to continue to develope and open?
I decided to pick the stem when I heard that several days of rain were forecast. It was a dull morning when I photographed the opening bloom, darker than the pictures I had previously seen.
Indoors in a vase, it opened to light yellow with white around the yellow beard and a slight blue stripe down the centre of the falls.
And a slight spicy scent.
I do hope it will flower next spring, as Iris are supposed to do.
16 Dec, 2015
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Comments
Great stuff Siris - never thought it would make it!
16 Dec, 2015
that is a lovely and unusual colour.
16 Dec, 2015
that's a nice one
16 Dec, 2015
Thank you everyone, I was so pleased to see the flowers in real life. Last year I put the frosted buds in a vase, but they just dried out, turned brown and didn't open.
16 Dec, 2015
It looks beautiful.
16 Dec, 2015
My immorality threw up more flower spikes & the weather looks promising. Should be in bloom for Christmas.
16 Dec, 2015
Lucky you picked it when you did, in view of all this wet weather, it is wet, wet, wet here....
17 Dec, 2015
Bathgate, It must be mild in New York! You will have to post a Happy Christmas Iris if it flowers on the 25th. My reflowered Immortality finished in November. I find the petals are not that thick and all the rain made them go transluscent and then mushy.
Yes, Dd, Also I thought that picking them might tempt A&A to flower in the Spring. I have 3 rhizomes of that now, and 2/3 flowered now.
17 Dec, 2015
Are you still here Siris?
17 Dec, 2015
Such a lovely bloom & you have waited such a long time to see it. Good thing you brought it inside, these mild days do bring the rain with them.
18 Dec, 2015
No Dd, the second from last pic was taken in the car, the last in the hotel room.
18 Dec, 2015
Lucky you.....enjoy xx
18 Dec, 2015
Lol Bathgate, I just read your first comment again - I wonder what you were doing...
18 Dec, 2015
LOL, Bathgate's comment sets the mind racing, doesn't it Stera?
19 Dec, 2015
I must find out which temperature zone the South of England is classified as, the zones usually refer to the USA.
19 Dec, 2015
Here you Sirus, this is from the RHS, it is in temperatures rather than areas as that can be too variable:
https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-the-rhs/publications/magazines/the-garden/2013-issues/february/How-hardy-are-my-plants
19 Dec, 2015
Thanks for the info Greenfingers.
I also read from an American grower's site that cutting back the leaves of rebloomers after flowering can induce them to winter flower. I don't want that, December weather is too risky, even in the south of the U.K.
21 Dec, 2015
Glad to have found some helpful info for you, Sirus.
21 Dec, 2015
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What a lovely surprise for you Sue to have such a late bloom , you were probably right in cutting it before the rain at least you were able to see it for the first time in all its glory , fingers crossed for a second viewing in the spring :o)
16 Dec, 2015