Help..I need to know what to do with my 2 yr. Katrina Iris plans. I live in Alabama and we had an unusual cold winter. My Kat Iris is not green, it is a brownish orange color. Do I trim off all the leaves? Will it come back?
Jeanne

Welcome
I am not familiar with the Katrina, but I see it mentioned twice today here in the daylily forum, what are the odds. I live in Alabama also, the south eastern part, and I assume you are in the northern part being none of my Iris did that. Are they growing in clay soil, could drainage be the problem? We have had a lot of rain and root rot may be the problem instead of the cold. Maybe others who grow this plant can help you more. You might want to post this in the Iris forum also. Anyhow, just thought I would say hello and welcome, sorry I am not of more help. I will say that the cold weather seemed to have helped the Iris down here, my neighbor and I have had more Iris blooms this year and more daffodil blooms than ever, waiting and hoping the daylilies will do as well.

I will ask Dave to move this to the Iris forum. Perhaps you will get better response there.

I doubt you have anything to worry about. Here in Illinois, the foliage almost always freezes, and turns brown, then drying up like any "spent" leaf would do. Trim off the brown, dead parts of the leaves, and you will be good to go ! We just got home yesterday from "wintering" at Dauphin Island, Al., and you're right, it got colder than usual, even there! In "heavy" soils (clay, etc.) you need to make sure that you DO have adequate drainage ( no standing water) and that the rhizome ,itself, is not "buried' (covered up with soil), just the roots should be in the soil, and possibly the bottom half of the rhizome. The top of the rhizome should be sticking out of the soil, so the sun and airflow can "dry" it....Arlyn

Hello Jeanne. Is a Katrina Iris a bearded iris? I envy the iris blooms you have enjoyed already this year and am looking forward to bloom season here in zone 7b.

Hello Arlyn. I did not know if irises were planted like that as far north as you are or if they were covered there. We plant them like that here and tell buyers at our sales to plant them like a duck on water.....(rhizome being the duck) bottom and feet (roots) in the soil and back and neck (leaves) sticking out in the sunshine. Glad you had a safe trip home.

Hello again Jeanne. I just googled 'Katrina Iris Plant'. If it is the one you have it is a beautiful variety of African iris and I cant tell you anything about it. There are others on this site much more knowledgeable than I am and as they see this thread perhaps you can get the guidance you seek. Good luck!

Not an iris which we grow. sorry

Hi Jeanne -- welcome to our Iris group. I'm not familiar with Katrina Iris either -- also had to Google it. Apparently it's a plant that thrives in heavy clay soil and hot, humid weather. It should be just fine in Alabama. I can't answer your specific questions -- but I suspect that it has gone dormant in the winter weather -- and should come around for you when the weather warms up. Let us know how it does, will you? We can all learn from your Katrina Iris experience!!

Thanks for all the replys. So glad I came across this site. I live in Montgomery Alabama and yes, we had a very cold winter. We even had a dusting of snow one day. The plant in question is a Katrina African Iris. It is a beautiful fast growing plant. I bought it in Baton Rouge Louisiana where my daughter lives. They are everywhere. I have been told to split the plant up around 3-4 yrs of age.
I am going to try and cut the brown foliage off and hopefully it will recover. Yes it is southern clay with a lot other soil, and very good drainage.
Happy planting!