Iridodictium is a bulbous plant that grows in the mountains of Transcaucasia, as well as in the highlands of Central Asia. A small genus with 11 species.

Iridodictium is not as common in our gardens as crocuses or daffodils, but it is very attractive and not difficult to care for. Also known as snowdrop iris or reticulated iris.

During their early flowering period, iridodictiums reach only 10-15 cm in height, then the leaves grow up to 30 cm long, and in mid-summer they die off.

The bulbs are ovoid or round in shape, about 2 cm in diameter, covered with mesh scales, which are renewed every year.

Each iris and snowdrop bulb produces one big flower. The colors of the flowers are lilac, purple, blue, white, yellow with spots and stripes.

The perianth of Iridodictium consists of 6 leaflets: three inner and outer.

Like some iris, the outer perianth lobes have an orange or yellow stripe that turns into a white spot.

The beard of the reticulated iris consists of yellow hairs. Some varieties of iridodictium have flowers that have a pleasant aroma.

Using iridodictium in garden design

Iridodictiums are well suited for planting in rockeries or rock gardens, and the bulbs are best placed with south side large stones.

It can also be planted in cracks on top of retaining walls. In addition, the plant is suitable for forcing, starting in January and throughout the entire period of winter and early spring, as well as for making compositions together with hyacinths, crocuses and primroses.

Location and planting of iridodictium

For good development, sunny places are required. Large reticulated iris bulbs are planted at a depth of 8 cm, and small ones - 4 cm. The distance between iridodictium bulbs should be 10 cm. It is best to plant the same as crocuses - in groups of 10 bulbs.

Soil

Irises and snowdrops need slightly alkaline or neutral, well-drained soil. They grow poorly in wet soil and become sick.

Caring for iridodictiums

While the leaves are green, at the beginning of summer, the bulbs are fed with small doses of mineral fertilizer, watered only during drought, and winter period mulch with compost. Without transplanting in one place, the reticulated iris grows for 5 years.

After flowering, the plant requires more heat and dry living conditions, so it must be protected from rain and covered with glass.

You can also dig up the iridodictium bulbs and move them to a dry room until the beginning of October, then plant them again in the ground, burying them to a depth of 6 cm. Where moisture is retained, it is best to dig up the bulbs before the arrival of winter.

Reproduction of Iridodictium

Seeds and vegetatively. Iris - snowdrop bulbs are planted to a depth of 7-12 cm, it all depends on their size. The bulbs are dug up in June, when the foliage turns yellow, without waiting for it to dry out.

Dry for several days at a temperature of 23 degrees, clean and store until August at the same temperature, then until planting at 16 degrees.

Large flowering bulbs sometimes break up into small bulbs that do not bloom. If this action does not stop, the only solution is to buy flowering bulbs every year.

To obtain iridodictium seeds, artificial pollination is carried out. Sow the seeds immediately after collection, then next spring good shoots appear.

Seedlings are planted in the garden bed, and after a few years they are planted in a permanent location. These bulbs bloom 3 years after sowing.

Iridodictium varieties retain their characteristics only during vegetative propagation by daughter bulbs; the characteristics of Iridodictium species are also preserved during sowing.

Watering iridodictium

The presence of moisture in the soil is important during the formation of buds. After a harsh winter, it is usually sufficient and no watering is required.

The bulbous plant Iridodictium belongs to the iris family. Total known 11 different types, some of them grow in the mountainous regions of Transcaucasia, and some in Central Asian territory. In our latitudes, they have also learned to cultivate it in garden plots, although it is less popular than spring crocuses, daffodils and other bulbous plants. On the pages of the site “Popular about health” useful information for those who decide to decorate their garden with this plant. So, let's talk further about how to care for iris iridodictium in open ground how to plant its common species.

From various shades V spring garden formed amazingly beautiful carpet from Iridodictiums. White, blue, lilac, purple, with stripes, with spots and plain - all of them are popularly called snowdrop irises. Some even stand out from the crowd with a distinct, pleasant aroma. The name of the flower is associated with its literal translation from Greek, which means “rainbow mesh.”

Pictured is iridodictium

Planting iridodictium in open ground

Iridodictium leaves have a triangular or tetrahedral surface covered with mesh small scales. Buds appear on leaves that have reached a length of 10-12 cm. The flowers attract unusual shape perianth, in which 3 inner and outer petals are formed.

Beautiful plants grow in well-lit, sunny places. Planting is carried out with bulbs: large ones are buried 7-8 cm into the ground, small ones - 3-4 cm. A distance of at least 10 cm is left between the holes if you plan to grow individual specimens. For group and compact placement You can place 10 bulbs side by side, each of them will produce only 1 flower.

Iridodictium is suitable for soil with neutral acidity, well drained. When moisture stagnates and the soil dries slowly, flowers often die. Therefore, damp, poorly heated and dark areas are not suitable for it. Planting in open ground is done with the onset of autumn, while the warm September days are still there.

The bulbs tolerate wintering well, but they can be covered with spruce branches. When buds begin to form, the soil needs to be well moistened. But if the winter is snowy, then there is no need to water.

The iridodictium will grow in the same place for 5 years, no transplantation will be required.

Caring for iridodictium

The plant is very susceptible to excess moisture. In summer, if it rains too often, the soil with the bulbs needs to be covered. In general, in rainy areas it is better to dig them up completely after the flowering period and store them in a dry room, wrapped in newspaper. You can plant them again in the spring.

If in winter time the temperature drops below -10 degrees, then the bulbs can be covered with jars or trimmed plastic bottles, cardboard boxes. This way they won't freeze.

The plant needs fertilizing, it activates flowering. When there are fresh green leaves in the summer, inorganic fertilizers, compost or humus are added to the soil.

How to propagate a plant?

Bulbs that are already at least 3-4 years old are suitable for propagation. In July, when the plant's leaves begin to turn yellow and dry out, they are dug out of the soil. The family of bulbuls that have children is carefully separated. They are dried for 20-25 days, placed in a dry and warm place. Then they are removed until autumn in a cooler place. During storage it is necessary to inspect regularly planting material. If any bulbs dry out or lose weight, they need to be planted immediately.

Another method of propagation is using seeds. They are collected after artificial pollination of plants. Once in the soil, the seeds germinate on their own; seedlings usually appear in the first season. Young seedlings need to be planted in separate beds from adult plants. After two years of growing there, they are transferred to a site where they will grow permanently. Flowering can be observed after 3-4 years when propagated by seeds. It is important to remember that partial loss of species characteristics is possible, that is, a change in the shade of flowers.

Diseases dangerous to the plant

In open ground, iridodictium is most often affected by a fungal infection. Most often, gardeners are faced with the disease Mystrosporium adustum, in which the leaves are densely covered with characteristic ink spots. Such a sick plant cannot be treated.

If such signs are found on any specimens, they must be immediately destroyed by carefully digging them out of the ground. The place of growth is treated with fungicidal preparations, the ground is watered with a weak solution of manganese. The key to preserving other flowers is timely digging up diseased species.

Otherwise, iridodictium is unpretentious and undemanding in care. But it is very decorative and decorates the site every year, breaking out from under the snow cover early spring. It goes well with plants such as snowdrops, crocuses, hyacinths, primroses, pushkinias, and scillas. Ordinary places for growing are used garden plots, rock gardens, lawns, rockeries. IN landscape design the flower is very popular.

I recommend that gardeners planning to grow on their plots pay attention to the light-loving nature of these plants. In nature, iridodictiums grow on mountain slopes exposed to the sun.

Second the most important condition successful cultivation Iridodictiums - suitable water regime. Soil moisture must correspond to the biology of these plants.
The habitats of iridodictiums are the mountain ranges of Asia, from the Tien Shan to the Mediterranean Sea. Consequently, these plants need a cool spring with plenty of precipitation, hot dry summers, and good snow cover in winter without thaws.

During the period of active spring development, iridodictiums are extremely resistant to diseases. And the pathogens of many are not active enough at this time, at low spring temperatures.

How can gardeners achieve an imitation of the natural water regime when growing iridodictiums?
A set of measures should be resorted to.
Firstly, you need to pay attention to garden soil. Best soils for iridodictium - sandy, light, quickly getting rid of excess water. If the garden is dominated by clay or black soil (which, as they say, “can be spread on bread”), then it is better to immediately stop growing iridodictiums.

The soil drainage in the garden should be perfect. An area for iridodictiums with good drainage can be created artificially. The simplest way- raise the soil level by adding soil, or do...

Iridodictium bulbs should be planted quite densely. The narrow leaves of neighboring plants will not shade each other.
But when planted densely, plant roots, which intensively absorb moisture, seem to serve as additional drainage.

Digging up iridodictium bulbs

It is better to dig up iridodictium bulbs in the summer.

It is important to catch the favorable time for digging up bulbs - this is one of the the most important moments biotechniques for growing iridodictiums and the reason for many failures.
The fact is that the leaf tissue of Iridodictium is extremely durable. It remains colored even when the bulb is already dormant. This symptom is not so pronounced in places where iridodictiums grow naturally - there the abundance of sun, wind and drier air quickly dry out the dying leaves. But in our climate, delayed yellowing of leaves in Iridodictium is a common phenomenon, especially noticeable in years with cool, damp summers.

By analogy with many other species, gardeners expect complete yellowing of the iridodictium leaves as a signal for the end of the growing season, which is usually followed by digging up the bulbs. And at this time, already fully formed iridodictium bulbs located in damp soil can be infected with various diseases.
Thus, if the leaves of iridodictiums turn yellow in the upper third or half, this is already a good reason for digging up the bulbs.

Storage conditions for iridodictium bulbs

Iridodictium bulbs are stored under conditions similar to those for storing most bulbous bulbs. A ventilated, dry place, protected from direct sunlight, is suitable.

We will not talk about the ideal storage temperature for iridodictium bulbs (thermoregulation of storage is inaccessible to most amateur gardeners).
It is enough if the storage temperature is within +18...+22 degrees, and does not rise above +25 degrees.

Planting iridodictium bulbs

I plant iridodictium bulbs in the garden at the same time as. But you can do this earlier, since the roots of iridodictium bulbs begin to grow at higher temperatures than those of tulips. Because of this, the roots of plants that have not been dug up in September are already well developed.

Hybrids of Iridodictium species I. winogrdowii are more tolerant of moist soil in summer. Therefore, they do not have to be dug up and planted annually; this can be done periodically.
Some experts are of the opinion that Vinogradov’s iris and its varieties do not tolerate dry storage outside the ground. From my own experience, I can say that in their ability to tolerate dry storage, the Vinogradov iris varieties are no different from other iridodictiums. The species in this regard is slightly less resistant, although it can be outside the ground for 2-3 months, provided it is not too high temperature storage

Iridodictium bulbs are planted, as I already noted, quite densely.
Of course, in a rock garden or in a garden, free planting of plants of the same species (or variety) in spots looks better irregular shape, which look more natural, especially when surrounded by stones.

The planting depth of iridodictium bulbs is 7-10 cm. Planting iridodictiums is necessary mainly to retain a sufficient amount of moisture in light soil and to prevent too early shoots during winter thaws. If it is not possible to do this, then the soil around the iridodictiums must be loosened after each rain.

Growing Iridodictiums in Russia

Russia is a huge country, the climate of its regions is unique. But the fairly continental climate of the central regions of Russia is definitely more suitable for growing iridodictiums than the climate of those countries where, over the last century, the main work on the introduction of wild iridodictiums and the creation of varieties has been carried out.
However, even here sometimes there are years that are later remembered as “incessant rain.” They are especially unfavorable for growing iridodictiums.

If there is a single specimen of iridodictium or a small group of plants, then, in addition to all of the above, an ordinary ventilated shelter made of transparent material can save them from excessive moisture.

In rainy years, it is useful to treat plants with systemic antifungal drugs. It is advisable to etch the iridodictium bulbs after digging. Suitable for these purposes are, for example, the preparations “Karbendazim”, “Mirage”, “Sportak”, produced in the form of water-soluble emulsions, or similar special preparations.

Reproduction of Iridodictium

Many varieties of Iridodictium are sterile, i.e. do not set seeds. Therefore, all the forces of such a plant are aimed at vegetative propagation.

Several daughter bulbs can be formed from one mother bulb of iridodictium.
Reproduction coefficient different varieties may be larger or smaller. But usually one large iridodictium bulb produces at least two large replacement bulbs. And in some species and varieties, baby bulbs are also formed.

Due to the fact that some types of Iridodictium can set seeds, their ability to reproduce by dividing the bulbs is less. And sometimes it is even small (as in I. kolpakowskiana, which, in addition to the replacement large onion gives only 1-2 small onions). In this case, seed propagation is a significant aid in the propagation of Iridodictium species.

The seed capsule of iridodictiums ripens underground, and only by the time the seeds have completed ripening does it appear at ground level.
It is best to collect iridodictium seeds together with the capsule, at the moment it begins to crack.

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Bright early spring bulbous plants– Iridodictiums – are relatively rarely grown by our amateurs and professionals in open ground. IN natural conditions grow on the mountain slopes of Transcaucasia, Turkey, Iran.

Iridodictyum is a small genus of plants belonging to the iris family. The bulbs are oblong or spherical in shape, with a diameter of about 2 cm. They are always covered with mesh scales. The leaves are narrow, long, tri- or tetrahedral.

Iridodictium flowers have an exquisite aroma. The color depends on the species and variety, and can vary from white to purple, with characteristic transitions to light colors and a prominent beard.

The perianth has 6 lobes (petals), of which 3 are internal (narrow, notched in the upper part, corrugated, lighter) and 3 are external (horizontally bent, with a bright stripe in the middle). The fruit is a capsule containing irregularly shaped seeds.

In spring, flower stalks appear before leaves. By the time the flower blooms, the leaves reach only 10 cm, and over time they stretch up to 45 cm. Approximately by the beginning of July, the plant goes into rest. The leaves begin to turn yellow and later die.

Growing and care

Iridodictiums should be planted in a sunny place. The soil should not retain moisture for a long time. In areas with clay soil Before planting, you need to make drainage (pour a layer of pebbles into landing hole), and mix the soil with sand. The nutritional value of the soil is not particularly important. Watering is required only in dry spring during the flowering period; as a rule, there is enough precipitation.

By analogy with hyacinths and tulips, iridodictiums are planted in the fall. It is advisable to process the planting material fungicidal drug, for example, "Maxim". Planting depth is from 8 to 10 cm for adult specimens, less for young ones. Subsequent mulching is desirable to prevent premature germination during winter thaws.

Iridodictiums can grow without replanting for up to 5 years, if there is no prolonged rain in the summer. Excess moisture during the dormant period of the bulbs can lead to fungal diseases. In regions with rainy summers, after the growing season (when a third of the leaves turn yellow), the bulbs need to be dug up. Place in a shaded place, wait until the leaves dry completely, and remove them. The bulbs should be stored away from sunlight, at a temperature not exceeding 25 ° C (conveniently in fabric bags suspended under a canopy).

Reproduction

Many varieties of iridodictiums can be propagated by seeds and daughter bulbs. There are also sterile varieties that do not set seeds; only vegetative propagation is acceptable for them.

On average, a bulb produces up to 4 children per season, so over time, entire clearings form at the planting site. Daughter bulbs should be separated from the mother bulbs a few days before planting, and not after digging, so that they do not dry out. It is advisable to sow the seeds immediately after collection. Shoots will appear only in the spring. Young plants will bloom in the 4th year.

In early spring, sharp, narrow-line leaves of a primrose appear from under the snow, like those of a snowdrop, and everyone expects the appearance of snow-white flowers. But no - the petals are blooming, and it is completely obvious: before our eyes is a bright representative of the Iridodictium family, and among the people - the snowdrop iris, delicate, graceful, and some of its species also have a pleasant aroma.

The name of the plant comes from the Greek words iris - rainbow and diction - net, and is associated with the variety of shades of the corolla and the structure of the bulbs. Found in nature throughout Asia, Transcaucasia and North Africa, most species live on mountain slopes on the lighter side, in dry steppes among low bushes.

Previously, the plant belonged to the genus Iris, but in 1961 it was separated into a separate genus by Professor G.I. Rodionenko, who was involved in the repatriation of Iridodictium on the slopes of the Gagra ridge. The scientist entertainingly explained the reason for separating the small bulbous plant, which is rare in our latitudes, into an independent group: once upon a time, the primrose had the same rhizome as all irises, but in the process of evolution, adapting to arid conditions, it lost it. From the rhizome of irises, only a tiny fragment remained from the iridodictium, and everything else was transformed into a bulb, wrapped in colorless scales, into which the leaves turned. It should be noted that the plant produces from the ground a single cylindrical or grooved leaf, and most physiological processes primroses pass underground.

Iridodictium bulbs are small, ovoid, about 1.5-2 cm long and 1-1.5 cm in circumference. The outer scales are reticulate, the inner scales are fleshy. The roots are fragile, thread-like, and die off during the dormant period. The leaves are narrowly grooved and squat. The peduncle is underdeveloped, barely reaches 8 cm by the end of flowering, usually bears one bright flower about 5-7 cm in diameter, in many varieties it smells pleasant. The seeds are small and ripen in a triangular capsule that cracks easily.

Decorative types of iridodictium

Among 11 known species The most popular snowdrop iris are:

Vinogradova- lives in Transcaucasia, the flowers are light yellow, 5-7 cm in circumference, all parts of the perianth are the same size, the outer ones have a wide longitudinal plate and a long nail.

Hyrcanian- another species from the foothills of Transcaucasia, characterized by a delayed appearance of leaves - by the time of flowering they barely appear from the ground. The flowers are blue, 6 cm in diameter, with a short, wide, winged nail on the outer perianth lobes.

Kolpakovsky- first discovered in Kazakhstan in the vicinity of Almaty and named in honor of General G. A. Kolpakovsky, the conqueror of Central Asia. The flowers are light or dark violet-purple, 5-7 cm in circumference, with a weak aroma, the outer parts of the perianth with a lanceolate blade that turns into a marigold. The tube is 5-7 cm long.

Pamphylian- one of the ancient species of the genus, found only in one of the regions of Turkey - Pamphylia. Flowers are 5-7 cm in circumference, the outer perianth lobes are dark lilac-violet, the inner ones are sky blue. Flowers bloom in early March.

Reticulate- the most common species in culture. Flowers are 5-6 cm in circumference, with a weak aroma or without it, light red-violet, the outer parts of the perianth with narrow marigolds, the tube is cylindrical. Breeders have developed beautiful varieties:

• Cantab - with dark blue flowers;
• Harmony and Joyce - with blue petals;
• J.S. Diyt - with a light purple tint of flowers;
• Royal - distinguished by rich dark blue flowering;
• Wentworth - with bright purple corollas;
• Cleretta - with bicolor perianths - the outer lobes are cornflower-blue, the inner lobes are pale blue;
• Spring Time - also look bicolor - the outer parts are purple-violet, the inner parts are sky blue;
• Natasha - with blue flowers with an unusual snow-white tint, bred by the Dutch breeder W. P. van Eeden and named in honor of Natalia Prokopenko, an employee of the Botanical Garden of Kharkov University, who collected the largest former USSR collection of iridodictiums;
• George - with purple flowers, the variety was also created by W. P. van Eeden and received its name in honor of Georgy Ivanovich Rodionenko, a Soviet and Russian taxonomist, botanist, author of the names of a number of botanical taxa.

Care and cultivation of iridodictium

For planting snowdrop iris, loose sandy soil is more suitable than humus-rich chernozem; in any case, the area should be well-drained. Where moisture stagnates, iridodictium develops poorly, gets sick and dies.

The plant is well suited for growing in alpine and rocky gardens. It is usually planted in groups in front of ornamental shrubs, the bulbs are buried 4-8 cm and placed at a close distance from each other, about 3-5 cm, but not more than 10 cm - the roots develop weakly and do not interfere with neighboring plants.

Spring care for iridodictiums consists of constantly loosening the soil and destroying weeds, feeding potash fertilizers. Plants that are weakened after flowering are fed in early summer. mineral fertilizers, water only in severe drought.

As soon as the edges of the leaves begin to turn yellow, the iridodictiums are dug out of the ground, dried for several days at a temperature of about 23 degrees Celsius and stored until mid-September in a room with a thermometer reading no higher than 16 degrees above zero. Usually by this time the bulbs have new roots - it’s time to plant the plant in the ground.

Before planting, add perennial compost to the soil or mulch the beds with iridodictiums for the winter. Straw, peat, pine needles or fallen leaves are also used as mulch for the winter, although the plant is quite frost-resistant, and many gardeners do without additional shelter for it during the wintering period. They try not to grow primroses in one place for more than 5 years.

For forcing, iridodictium bulbs are planted in a small group in pots and kept in a room with a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius for a month and a half, then raised to 15 degrees. Flowering occurs, as a rule, after 20-25 days.

Reproduction of Iridodictiums

The iridodictium seed pod ripens underground and only before cracking begins does it appear above the soil level. It is important not to miss this moment and collect the boxes before opening.

Snowdrop iris seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 2 cm at any time, right up to the onset of frost; only for some varieties it is important that they be freshly harvested. Plants grown from seeds do not bloom soon - 4-5 years after sowing.

It is advisable to propagate varietal iridodictiums vegetatively - by daughter bulbs, so they do not lose their characteristics of the variety.

Miniature bulbs, about the size of a grain of wheat, form at the base of the mother bulb. When digging up iridodictiums after flowering, they are carefully separated from the mother plant and stored until planting. In the fall, they are planted in beds separately from adult bulbs - they will have to be grown for about 3 years before flowering.

Diseases and pests

Flowering of iridodictium begins so early and at low temperatures air, that most diseases and pests are not afraid of it. Bulbs that remain in excessively wet soil are at risk of infection.

The small bulbous plant suffers from a dangerous fungal disease, which among gardeners is called “ink spots”, and officially - ink spot disease, the causative agent of which is the fungus Mystrosporium adustum. Flower growers advise immersing the bulbs in a solution before planting as a preventive measure. systemic fungicide benlate and treat the soil in the garden bed with it.

Often, gardeners who grow iridodictiums complain that the bulbs separate into scales and stop blooming. G.I. Rodionenko recommended planting such plants deeper, not 6-8 cm, but 20 cm, however, some gardeners believe that such agricultural techniques do not give the expected result, and there is only one way out in such a situation - to replace the planting material with flowering varietals bulbs.

Usage

Small bulbous plants are successfully grown in rock gardens and rockeries, planted on the south side of rocky hills. Iridodictiums are a wonderful decoration evergreen shrubs, they coexist well with plants that have underdeveloped root system– iberis, aubrieta, dwarf forms of hosta, make up picturesque compositions with other primroses – primroses, crocuses and hyacinths.

The plant is used for winter forcing, using typical technological techniques for small-bulbous plants.

Iridodictium in photographs