Iris's

[Sunshine]

Will an Iris hold up to wind in a bog? I have a huge pot of Iris's on a shelf in the middle of my pond. It blocks the view of stuff behind it. Was wanting to put some in my bog next year if it will be strong enough against wind.

 

[Lisak1]

Do you know what variety you have? Mine are tough as nails - they don't even ripple in the wind.

 

[Sunshine]

This is what they look like.

 

[addy1]

I have them in the pond and in the bog, they never move...............and we get some strong winds.

Well the leaves move in the wind..........

 

[Sunshine]

When would be the best time to move them, this fall or next spring? My bog is getting a lot of algae now that it's exposed to sun. I liked it better when it was shady.

 

[addy1]

I have maybe a 2 foot area open in the bog for the birds to bath in, ow all plants.
The iris are done blooming, at least mine are, I have moved then at all different times of year without issues. except dead of winter, ground too frozen to dig then. So you most likely could move them now, or move one and see how it does

 

[j.w]

I don't think you can kill those suckers no matter when you move them. They are tough! We get winds here and they do just fine especially in a bunch where they keep each other standing together.

 

[Sunshine]

This my view from where I sit on my patio. The Cattails and grasses are in pots in the pond. The Iris's are in a pot on a shelf. Too much green !!

 

[j.w]

Yep they need dividing or they will take over your whole pond and the bigger they get the harder to divide. If you don't want them to take over your whole bog you can dig a hole and put landscape fabric in there to contain them. You'll have to divide them eventually as if they were in a pot which you could use also and bury that instead of the fabric. Just make sure holes in pots. Also be sure and cut off the seed pods before they go to seed or you will have them everywhere. Oh yes I know cuz I had them on land in one area and the seeds are still coming up after several years of removing them from that spot.

 

[Lisak1]

Move them any time but spring if you hope to see blooms... learned that one the hard way! If you are left with no choice but a spring move, don't fret when they don't bloom or bloom just a bit - they will come back. They are extremely difficult to kill.

 

[Sunshine]

Yep they need dividing or they will take over your whole pond and the bigger they get the harder to divide. If you don't want them to take over your whole bog you can dig a hole and put landscape fabric in there to contain them. You'll have to divide them eventually as if they were in a pot which you could use also and bury that instead of the fabric. Just make sure holes in pots. Also be sure and cut off the seed pods before they go to seed or you will have them everywhere. Oh yes I know cuz I had them on land in one area and the seeds are still coming up after several years of removing them from that spot.

hmmm My bog isn't that big. This is becoming quite complicating. I was liking the idea for shade reasons. But, it sounds like it can become a chore to maintain. Back to the drawing board.

 

[j.w]

@Sunshine as long as you kept an eye on them and just pulled out ones that were invading too big of an area and cut the seed heads off as they appear they would do just fine. I think in a bog they might be easier to pull up. Where I had them on land they were harder to pull out of the drier compacted soil. Talk to others that have them in their bogs as they would know better how they do there rather than on land.

From the net:

IRIS PSEUDACORUS L.
yellow flag, pale yellow iris, water flag
Iridaceae/Iris Family

pronounced: ee-ris sood-a-ko-rus
from: iris (G.): Greek goddess of the rainbow and messenger to the gods
pseud (G.): false
acorus (G.): sweet flag genus of plants
Referring to similarity with the genus Acorus


Yellow flag is non-native in the U.S., and is spreading throughout the country.

Iris pseudacorusis a wetland plant that is especially showy during its short blooming period. This good-looking plant has been transplanted into well-watered gardens all over the world and has widely escaped; it is also used in sewage treatment, and is known to be able to remove metals from wastewaters. Like cat-tails, yellow iris colonizes into large numbers, forming very dense monotypic stands, outcompeting other plants.

 

[Sunshine]

@j.w I am still pondering the plant dilemma. I want the Iris's and the grasses out of the pond. That will leave just the cattails in there. I have a plan for the grasses, and the Iris's, I was going to plant along the house. But, after reading what you put on here, sounds like they need a lot of water. I'm giving myself a headache over this .. lol Maybe put a few stalks in the bog, around the edge. I do like their firmness. And the shade they will supply.

 

[Sunshine]

Okay, worked on it all weekend. What a mess. I put a few Iris's in the bog, so my pond went from this


To this


Than planted the rest in a corner


And the grasses went here in a little cubby in the front yard


@j.w if the Iris's get out of control, you will come help me pull them out, won't you? lol

 

[addy1]

Very nice! more open water