When I saw Rob's picture of "Men are from Mars" I was reminded that I've had that one since it was a new introduction but it still hasn't bloomed. I thought it might be interesting to see what others have to say about some of the slow to bloom cultivars you have, and possible reasons for it to be that way. Also nice to know which climates they seem to do well in.


So just add one cultivar per post and then we can discuss it individually.

This one grows OK, not really fast for me, but hasn't sent up a bloom stalk yet, not even one to be trashed by last years storm.

I should add that it did have a bit of rot the first year, but not since then.

This is embarrassing but I bought Kaliffa's Horn after the 2011 bloom season and it still hasn't bloomed. It is my only aril and I have moved it a couple of times to see if it will perform better in a different spot. In hindsight that may not have been wise. I remember reading on the Smokin Heights facebook page that it thrives for them.

It's sure a pretty one, I see that is is only half Arilbred, so you would think it would perform.

I will post an AB called Persian Sapphire.


I only grow 10 AB's. Some are prolific and some are slow growers for me. Some have bloomed more regularly than others but this one has never bloomed for me. I have moved it, potted it, fed it, watered it, let it go dry...... I think since it is in a pot i am just going to ignore it. If it blooms it blooms and if not, oh well.

One thing about an iris that has never bloomed for me is that i cannot guarantee that it is the cultivar i bought. I can only share it with a disclaimer such as 'this was bought as (insert name here) iris but since it has never bloomed for me i cannot be absolutely certain that it is that iris'.

It always seems to me that the most anticipated iris bloom either waits a couple of years to form a stalk or gets damaged by hail to the point of non-recognition.

(Edited so it would make a bit of sense)

That is one amazing-looking iris! I hope it will bloom for you eventually - and turn out to be the right cultivar too!

Thanks , Lilli. I am hoping it will bloom this coming spring and be true.

Now I will list a TB iris that blooms for everyone else but not me. in my quest for a true blue iris I acquired a plethora of lavender and lavender/blue blends. Then everyone shared their photos of a true blue TB named Absolute Treasure. I bought one and planted it in an established iris bed. The other irises in that bed have all bloomed and continue to do do. Not AT. I have not moved it because the other irises thrive there. Is AT a good southern bloomer? Does it prefer cooler climes?

What length of time is being considered? I have some that have been planted here for three years and not yet bloomed.

Start with Adriatic Waves:

I've had Bowled over since 2013 and it hasn't bloomed yet. It's in a prime spot, has grown enough to be divided, but no bloom.

about 6 years ago, in November, I bought this as a pretty dried up rhizome. Knowing that information I was patient for it to bloom, but, if it doesn't bloom next year, it's out of here.

Response to others:
I have had Adriatic Waves for 3 years and it has not bloomed and increased very little. It did have a rough start but has two increases.
I also have had Absolute Treasure for 2 years. It bloomed prolifically the first year but did not bloom last year. It has tons of increases.
I have had Magical for 3 years and it has bloomed only once and has not increased much since. It is in a prime spot.
New Nonbloomer:
My worst one has been Crazy by Spoon. Going on 5 years and not a single bloom!

grannysgarden said:Now I will list a TB iris that blooms for everyone else but not me. in my quest for a true blue iris I acquired a plethora of lavender and lavender/blue blends. Then everyone shared their photos of a true blue TB named Absolute Treasure. I bought one and planted it in an established iris bed. The other irises in that bed have all bloomed and continue to do so. Not AT. I have not moved it because the other irises thrive there. Is AT a good southern bloomer? Does it prefer cooler climes?

I bought Absolute Treasurer the year it was introduced directly from Superstition in 2006. Back then I had plenty of time and garden space for trial and error. Although it did in fact bloom for me in 2009 it seemed "slow" to increase and for whatever reason reluctant to send up a bloom stalk. I gave it lots of time for performance, but it just never measured up in growth & bloom. With this said it is a gorgeous bloom and I can't say enough good about it. For whatever reason it seems to have a "mind of its own"! I've run out of room (and patience) so I no longer grow it, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it.

I have Absolute Treasure, but it is a new iris to me, just bought it this year, so I cannot say how well it will do here.

One which is not willing to bloom for me is Imprimis, it's been 4 years and no bloom. It is in the main iris bed with lots of other irises, which have all bloomed most of them every year. So not sure what the problem is.



It's so pretty! Blooooom! Darn you, blooooom!!!



[Edited to change 'canoot' to 'cannot' ]

Lilli, i also grow Imprimis. It bloomed one time for me and it.... was... gorgeous! I spent a lot of time admiring it. It has not bloomed since. Perhaps if instead of telling it how pretty it was and how proud of it i was i should have told it good try but not quite there yet? I did move it last year and still no bloom this year and only one increase. I will keep it awhile longer just in case it decides to bloom again but if it does not bloom next year i may forget how lovely the blooms are and just compost it!

Funny, I have Imprimis in a less then ideal spot, always challenged by quack grass, and crowded by daylilies, and yet it grows well and blooms quite well. Maybe it's into abuse.

well...... perhaps i should get into dealing out some abuse.

Frustrating to not be able to find out the reason for lack of bloom. I guess a bit of abuse might not be a bad idea!

As I started to replace my NOID irises first in 2015 with named cultivars, I do not have much to add to this thread. Initially I also added well tried cultivars that seemed reasonably robust and trouble free. I assume there will be more trouble in the future. So far the only one that has not bloomed in two years for me is Saturn. However it has good reason to be stubborn as it was received as a tiny rhizome and also had rot issues last winter. It is now moved and divided, so hopefully in two more years I will get to see it in person.

I forgive you... for now...

I'm however a bit worried with what I read about Absolute Treasure and Adriatic Waves as I've added both this year

I've had Adriatic Waves for a long time, and it's always bloomed and increased appropriately. I got Absolute Treasure in a trade and it hasn't bloomed yet.

I got Absolute Treasure two years ago in 2015 and planted it in my prime spot, my raised beds. It bloomed very well in Spring 2016 and by October 2016 it had five big fans and eight increases. In Spring 2017, although all the increases grew into nice big fans, they only produced two bud stalks. So the bloom the second year was a little disappointing.

Since it grew into a big clump, though, I contributed six rhizomes to my club sale and moved the rest to into a spot with poorer soil but more sun, which I thought it could deal with since it is such vigorous increaser. We'll see.

I have one iris which has never bloomed for me, Water Waltz. It also is in my raised beds. It grows
big, beautiful, healthy rhizomes, but will not bloom. This spring will be its third chance. If it doesn't
bloom this next year, it will go to my club sale.



Bonnie has a good point that since the cultivar has never bloomed, I can't be certain it is what I say it is. Whatever it is, I sure would like to see it bloom!

I have three Keppel iris, Raging Tide, Sea Cruise, and French Lilacs, that were slow to bloom, but
were lovely when they finally did and are now among my favorites.

Rhythm of Love was one of those that I had to wait 3 years on to bloom. It sure did boom this year, and was worth the wait.