Some of you have posted comments in the past about how bearded iris with horns, spoons and flounces need extra care to produce well formed spoons and flounces. I have not found a good source for this issue, and wondered if you could help me? If it is a need for extra fertilizer, or specific fertilizer, or extra water, etc. please let me know! If there is any written information on this subject I would love a reference or link.

I have quite a few Burseens that have spoons and flounces so I would like to give them the best possible chance of blooming at their very best.

Me, too! I have one on order and need to know.

We don't grow them the one we have MDB 'Punk' seems fine on its own. I suspect there an be normal good care on the reliable ones & special care on the others. A plant like Thornbird can be different in color in different soils & seems to produce different appendages in different years. Its children might act the same.

I find that mine never are as big and nice as I see them in the pictures. It seems like they are nicer if I add some fertilizer, but still have never been as nice as they could be, so I'd enjoy info on this as well.

With our heat, I don't think I'll ever see them as fancy as they should be.

Interesting topic! I had not given it much thought. I guess I just assumed it had to do with soil and climate...never really thinking there was anything I could do to encourage the horns, spoons and flounces to have better form and consistency. Hmmm... good food for thought, and maybe a little experimentation! I look forward to hearing what the rest of you have to say!

I have several different space age iris. I find that I get good blooms - and appendages - with just "regular" care. General good housekeeping so to speak. I have given them extra fertilizer in different years and have not seen a difference. The one thing that does seem to influence production is very cool weather during bud formation. I get lots of bloom with no extras. I also get odd blooms on my normal TB's too. Later in the season, when the weather is more normal, the horns tend to show up .

I think from what I've heard is that there are some that are more reliable than others, and some that respond better to whatever climate/soil they prefer. Since I'm only a couple/few years into Space-agers, I'll have to wait and see with some that I have. I also suspect that the horns are less quirky than spoons and longer appendages.

Well I thought I would ask someone who hybridizes those big old flounces and poms - the Jedlickas (owners of Blue J). Kathy Jedlicka was kind enough to respond (and sent me pics of some of their space-age seedlings!!! They have a flattie with flounces that I find really cool).

Here is a bit of what she wrote:

"Normally the first flowers to open on a stalk will have the best Appendages (horns, spoons, flounces and now pom poms.)
Tilling over the roots, along with low of fertilizer, water and sunlight will harm the appendage.
Full sun, good water drainage and not too much nitrogen or water will make the best results.

Also if the clump is divided and moved about every 4 years to soil that has never had iris before, that really helps the spoons and flounces." *

* I found this interesting because it is also what you do with Japanese iris.

Thanks for taking the time to check in with the Jedlickas... and so nice of them to respond. Good information to have!

The Jedlickas hybridize gorgeous luminatas also.

Yes they do!