From: jwilson@bach.udel.edu (Jim Wilson)
Subject: Re: Iris notha (Distress call)
Date: Sat, 20 Mar 1993 21:59:30 GMT

ceci@lysator.liu.se (Cecilia Henningsson) writes:
[...]
> that I must have made a mistake in my order, because I got Iris
> notha instead of I. sethosa. Again unfortunately, I. notha is in
> none of my reference works. That means I have no idea if it's
> bearded, or not, if it's rizhomatous or bulbous or even if it's
> hardy here. It might even be among the "difficult" irises. I have no
> idea!

I. notha has generally been classed as a subspecies of I. spuria, but
Fritz K"ohlein in _Iris_ disagrees; it is probably more like that,
though, than other irises.  Expect leaves 26-30" long, 40"
bloomstalks.  Large blooms, 6" in diameter, mid-June to early July,
medium blue to light blue-violet, yellow stripe down the center.  Thin
stems zigzag slightly from node to node.

It grows in full sun and a heavy clay loam, surviving extreme
drought.  It is best planted in autumn and must not be cramped.  It is
not as hardy as I. carthaliniae or other I. spuria, but the best clue
as to its hardiness is that it is native to the Caucasus and in
Transcaucasia, growing in steppe-like valleys at higher elevations.

He included a picture too--very elegant, thin petals.

Good luck!					--Jim
-- 

Jim Wilson, Instructional Technology Center, University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware 19716                      jwilson@brahms.udel.edu