Iris pumila

PYGMY IRIS

No WA

Iris pumila
PYGMY IRIS

Iris pumila is a tiny treasure.
Tiny in stature but big on charm and beauty.
Not permitted for entry to WA

Tiny treasure big on charm

Iris pumila is a true dwarf. With flowers blooming on 10cm stems above an even lower clump of grey-green sword foliage (they are just very short, stumpy swords).

Dwarf does not mean delicate

But dwarf does not mean delicate.
The Pygmy Iris is just as tough as the other full scale Bearded Iris.

A rainbow of colours

Growing Iris pumila from seed is a great adventure. Because every new plant will be an exciting new colour combination. Iris pumila is an extremely variable species in colour.
They could be anything from deep blue, purple, lavender to yellow, cream or white, and any combination thereof.
Flowers are bearded, and also often have beautiful veining, spotting and petal markings.

Tiny but tough Ukrainian 

Iris pumila is a tough little customer because it has to cope with a wide range of conditions and tough times in its native habitat. It grows in the wild from the Ukraine where it is prolific, across Romania and Bulgaria, and over into Turkey.
But the widest range of beautiful colours and markings are found in the meadows of the Ukraine – so we can only hope they are safe through the wars.

Summer heat dry & humidity hardy + winter cold & frost hardy 

So it is well acquainted with extremes of summer heat, including humidity; and winter cold, including frost and even snow.
And also well adapted to periods of dry in the summer.

Early flowers

Iris pumila is a herald of summer abundance, as it blooms well before even the earliest of the Large or Median Bearded Iris.

Easy to grow & low care

Plant charming Iris pumila in Full Sun and well drained soil. Though it can also tolerate a little shade for part of the day.

Performs best in less than luxurious conditions & lovely in pots

It does not object to sandy, rocky or gravel soils, and performs best if conditions are not luxurious.
So do not over-fertilize, though it really appreciates dressings of dolomite lime annually.
They thrive grouped in decorative pots, where they multiply to make impressive colonies.

Pest & disease resistant

Iris pumila is almost never attacked by any pests and diseases.

Low maintenance & easy care

And it is so short you really don’t need to cut it back.

10cm. High in cheery bloom x 30cm. Wide clump of short sword-like foliage.

SEED SOWING ADVICE:

Sow seeds in a punnets indoors, whenever suitable temperatures can be provided (see below)
OR
Sow directly in the garden autumn or winter.

Sow seeds indoors for optimum germination rates: First rub the seeds gently between your hands with some sharp sand (or you can use fine sandpaper) to score the seed case. Then soak seeds in warm (not boiling) water that has previously been boiled.
And leave stand in the cooling water for 24 hours.

Now drain the seeds and sow in a punnet on the surface of good quality seed raising mix.
And cover with grit/mix/sand/vermiculite to depth the same as the diameter of the seed.

Thoroughly moisten the punnet by standing it in a shallow water bath and allowing the moisture to percolate up to the surface of the mix from below.

Now place the punnet in a warm, well-lit position (not in any direct sunlight as this will dry the seeds out and stop germination).
Continue to keep the punnet moist by misting it regularly from a spray water-bottle.
Covering the punnet with a clear plastic lid or plastic bag will also help retain necessary consistent moisture.

Keep the punnet in a place at approx. 16 to 21°C for 2-4 weeks.

Then wrap the moist, sown punnet in cling wrap or a plastic bag & place in the fridge (not freezer) for 4-6 weeks.
This mimics the action of winter and speeds up germination.

Now remove from fridge, unwrap punnet & place again in a warm, well-lit position again (not in any direct sunlight).

Temperatures 12-21°C approx. are ideal for rapid and optimum germination.

Seedlings emerge within approx. 30 days.
But patience – do not discard punnet, as some seedlings may come later.

Seed Count: 6 seeds per pack approx.
(We always aim to exceed the stated seed count, and give a generous serve).

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