Pacific Coast irises; are beardless clump-forming plants that grow to 600-900mm (24-36”) in height, and spread from 300-600mm (12"-24")
The foliage is usually evergreen; the rhizomes are generally long and slender with a sparse root system.
The flowers have three outer petals (falls) and three inner petals (standards) with two to four flowers per stem, and appear from late Spring to mid Summer.
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The colours range through blues, creams, purples, reds,and whites.
They will thrive in either full sun or partial shade, in moist soil ranging in pH from 5 -7½.
Cultivation;
Plant culture is similar to other iris;
Week 2; Raise the temperature of autumn sown seedlings to around 7°-10° C (45°-50°F)
Circa Week 12; Once they have three or four leaves, transplant them into 70mm (3”) pots of lime-free compost.
Week 22; Plant out plants sown the previous year into their flowering positions.
They require a sunny or dappled shade position and lime free soil.
They may produce their first flowers the following May, although early summer of the third year is more usual.
Week 30-35 > After the flowers have died back, collect ripe seed and divide overcrowded clumps.
Otherwise cut the plants down when the leaves turn yellow.
Week 40; Plants raised from seed will not be identical to the parent plant.
Sow seed 12mm (½”) apart in pots/trays of lime free seed compost and place in a cold frame to stratify - chilling is needed to break the seeds dormancy.
