I noticed in one of the videos posted on this site, there are Iris plants in the water.
My question is: How much water covers the top of the container??
Can one use regular iris plants from the garden or are they a special variety for ponds??

Thanks,

Rob

There are many kinds of iris. They are loosely grouped as standard iris, dwarf iris, snow iris, flag iris, Louisiana iris, Japanese iris, Siberian iris, and I'm sure I forgot some! All of them can live on land to some degree. The first three and last one are purely terrestrial. The flag iris (blue and yellow) are the most aquatic followed by Louisiana iris. Some Japanese iris can tolerate being wet. The other aquatic iris are various varieties that are sold for ponds. I'm not sure if they're all Louisiana iris or are under another group/type of iris. So, it can't just be any old iris but one that tolerates being wet. I have a list of some of those iris at http://www.fishpondinfo.com/plants/iris2.htm
Even aquatic iris prefer to just be wet and not in too deep. They will do great if just barely wet. The yellow flag iris the the most prolific aquatic iris and can take probably half a foot of water over it but most aquatic iris only want up to 3 inches of water.

I have Iris in my stream and pond. I don't know what type, but they produce yellow flowers.

I rooted them right in the rocks/gravel; no container. The stream itself is very shallow, and fast moving, but I did create edy's along the way for plants which is where the Iris is. They have reproduced like mad there, in fact I suspect I'll be thinning them before year end. The Iris in the pond are also rooted in rock/gravel under about 4-6 inches of water, planted against the side. They too are doing well.

They are probably yellow flag iris. They grow like weeds in my pond and burst the pots in just a year. Some even seeded into my shallow area, grew huge, and now is one with the liner and gravel. I'm afraid it might put a hole in the liner but I can't remove it; I do cut it down once it's flowered in that location.

Robyn, you're afraid your Iris might put a hole in the liner!!!! You mean from their roots??

I never knew that or even heard it before. None of my plants are in containers; in fact I dug/formed planting pockets for them when I built my pond; all my plant roots are exposed to the liner.

Is this something I need to worry about?

Thanks.

It's just the yellow flag iris that concerns me, not other kinds. I've put my yellow flag iris in 2 gallon plastic pots (no holes). Within a year or two at most, the yellow flag iris always actually puts holes in the pot from the root growth. The roots also severly warp the pots. I have to cut those pots off to repot the yellow flag iris. If the yellow flag iris can put holes in the pots, I wonder about the liner.

My oh my; always something to worry about.

For sure, very soon I'll be thinning my Iris. It has really grown, beginning to choke off my stream flow. To thin it I'll have to remove rock. When I do I'll definitely look for root damage. If any I'm taking the whole thing out. I'll let you know what I find.

Thanks.

Robyn, I divided my yellow flag iris this past weekend (if that's what it is).

Weird root system, more like a bulb. Not much hairy roots, some, but more short stubby thicker roots, very white. The entire arangement had grown like one huge bulb, it just kept expanding.

Anyway, I wanted to report I didn't find any damage to my liner. The toughest part wasn't the roots, they came up fairly easy, that is if I got them all; the toughest part was dividing the bulb itself, cutting through it. I didn't want to use anything very sharp for fear I'd cut the pond liner, so I jabbed and jabbed and jabbed at it with a dull garden hand shovel until I got through enough to where I could break the rest apart.

Seems to have worked; both the portion I left in place and part I transplanted still looked fine this morning.

Johnny, when I repot my yellow flag iris or cut down the leaves in the fall or whenever, I have to use a saw! Regular pruners won't work. Even a utility knife is too small for the job.

Interesting, I didn't know you're supposed to cut the leaves off in fall. I've always waited until spring.

Even after they're good and dead they're still tough to cut. I've often thought after cutting the leaves, one could weave them together, and have one heck of a strong rope, or do like the guys in the Carribean that weave baskets/hats out of palm tree leaves. I still have a basket from about 8 years ago a guy weaved for me out of green leaves, which of course is now straw color.

Iris leaves stay green longer than any of my other plants. I don't cut them down usually until winter really sets in. Some of the leaves go yucky and mushy so those must come out or rot in the pond when they collapse. The leaves that stay stiff can stay on the plant until spring if you want. It's just easier for me to cut them down, not have to worry about snow mushing them down and so on.

I am glad I found this thread. I have iries in my pond & they really need to be split. Mine are in containers on the first shelf of the pond. In the two years I have had the pond they have grown like crazy. I had to cut them back last June as they were too big and blocking the view of the waterfall. I have 4 pots in the pond but there is one that is just out of control. Is it safe for these to be pulled out in the spring and repotted then? I usually cut them right back in the fall. I have attached some pics of them.

Tiia



This was in May


June - prior to being cut back



July - still needing a bit more prunning.

You have yellow flag iris. They grow like weeds in my pond. They're almost impossible to kill so you can do a poor job repotting, and they'll still recover. They'll even grow on land unless it's super dry. It's best to repot in the fall. If you repot in the spring, they should survive but probably will not flower this year. If you want flowers this year, wait and repot after they flower. Mine flower in May.

This page on my web site goes over one day when I repotted my monster yellow flag iris on 9/4/06. I guess it's due this fall again. I don't look forward to it!
http://www.fishpondinfo.com/myfish/labor.htm

I have a Japanese iris IN the pond with light purple flowers. I only pruned/pulled off the mushy leaves. Even in our deep freeze there's some green leaves and alot of healthy looking leaves. I have a vinca minor trailing on the side into the pond that has no clue it's winter. :blink: BTW, I also having the matching 'land-only' version Japanese iris opposite of the 'water only' iris. Both are tiny purple flowers with skinny leaves.

I two have an iris with purple flowers the are small like little umbrellas is this the same as your japanese iris sadiemay? all i ever new is that it was an iris

I too have some purple iris planted off towards the side. I did not realize there are so many varieties... I think the purple ones would look lovely in the pond.

Tiia

My land based Iris are purple with a much lighter purple vein in the bloom. I have no idea what kind they are, and just assumed they wouldn't do well in the pond.

I got a couple of pond Iris off of ebay last year, but it was so late in the season they didn't do much. Will have to wait for this spring to actually see what they sent me I guess! :D

I have bought plants off ebay too. So I guess I am not the only one. I had pretty good luck with them.
I purchased some iris sprigs and the spider plants last year. They did way better than I thought they would. They were just tiny tiny when I got them. This year the iris should bloom. I can't wait...

tia

Hi Tiia

Your pictures a beautiful.I never thought of iris in the pond.I will plant some this year for sure.They look great. I also like the fact that they grow like weeds and it's almost impossible to kill them. Got to love those plants. Do they need lots of sun?
Thanks for the pictures and idea.
swampview

Hi Swampview, my garden faces south and the pond is on the east side of the garden. There is shade in the morning but the iris do get good afternoon sun. Those plants take a beating. I had a pump explode last winter & the top of my pond was covered with a layer of oil. I don't know how but everything survived and these plants survived it all. I will have to split mine this spring so I'll let you know how that goes... I was wondering if I replanted them in to the ground, if they would survive? Any ideas?????

Hi Tiia

It sounds like they would do well in my pond.I also get lots of afternoon sun.I don't see why they wouldn't do well in your gardens.When you split them this spring plant some and see what happens.I know I would try.

I think I will give it a try. Now I just have to find a spot to put them. I have a big old tree that has to come down this year, so maybe I can find a spot around there.

Tiia