This iris is an heirloom in more ways than one! I believe it is a variety called Madame Chereau, introduced into commercial culture in 1844, therefore, the heirloom label. According to what I can find, it was wildly popular for years, being the first of the plicata variety to appear for sale. Plicata meaning the falls (lower 3 petals) of the flower are banded with a different color than the base color of the petal. Many of the modern plicatas are quite ruffly as well.
The second part of the heirloom picture is that this plant came from my grandmother-in-law's garden in the foothills of Adirondacks of New York, to mine in the foothills of the Black Hills of South Dakota, then on to my daughters' gardens in Minnesota.
Cora had transplanted these more than 60 years ago, when the family moved their dairy operation to the "new" farm. We are fairly certain that she originally planted them when she came to the "old" home place as a new bride in 1917. She was a gardener extrordinaire, with the reputation of being able to coax a dead stick to grow leaves! She was unbeatable at the county fair and always brought home blue ribbons for her floral entries. She'd be so tickled to know her great-granddaughters were growing her flowers.
3 comments:
what a treat to have a plant with such history! beats inheriting silverware :)
marge
Marge, I've got some of the silverware too. :o}
My iris like this bloomed a few weeks ago. It is one of my favorites.
-- The great-grandkid
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