Is there a way to have a permanent thread pertaining to this subject? Or perhaps a way to note that a particular variety does or does not do well in your zipcode, like Dave's Garden had? Or a particular hybridizer, like the ones from Australia may not thrive in the northern US?

I will let you know!!!

So far, all of them. No rot. No borers. I think all my new plantings made it. At least 1/3 of the ones planted in 2014 are blooming.

Cool Linnea -- glad to hear you're avoiding the problems!!

Some of mine have languished in certain areas of the garden. When I moved them to different spots, they expoded. Some, I can't do right by.. I'm in Zone 9b.

Some that do well for starters..

Conjuration
County Cork
Crimson King
Crinoline
Expect Wonders
Designing Woman
Dynamite
Easter Bonnet
Fall Fiesta
Father Rigney
First Interstate
Gay Geisha
Grape Echo
Joyance
Indian Chief
Lacy Snowflake
Leading Light
Majorette
Mulled Wine
pallida 'Aurea Variegata' & 'Argentea Variegata'
Paul Black
Prairie Sunset
Quaker lady
Revere
Smart Money
Spiced Custard
Splashacata
Spring Bliss
Whispering Falls

Of course, my very best performers are NOIDS

Hi LynnG,
I'm not sure if your new on the Iris forum, but if you are. What Iris is your avatar? It is beautiful!
I'll have to look in my yard tomorrow on what grows well. I live in zone 9, and if my memory is right these grow really well:
Dracula's Kiss
Coal Seam
Midnight Treat
Habit
Silken Trim
Octoberfest
Dusky Challenger
Cowabunga
Coral Point
Coral Sunset

Caitlin, I'm not sure if you are into 'oldies', or the more modern ones, but, if memory serves me, you're not too far north of me, so our climate should be pretty similar. The "historic" type iris that seem bullet proof almost everywhere......Lent A. Williamson, Coronation, Ola Kala, and the I. germanicas, all seem pretty rot - proof , bloom freely, and put a lot of color in the garden. A step or two newer on the scale, would be Champagne Waltz, Debby Rairdon, Earl Of Essex, and Immortality....the last two are rebloomers that are quite reliable , for me, AND seem to be "extra hardy", as well. The "new" iris.....lots of ruffles, and such, ....are ones I haven't grown long enough to say much about, but....one sure way to find out, is plant some ! Most all of the dwarfs, and medians seem to have an extra dose of hardiness built in, and seem to thrive well, here in 5a.

The ones that do best for me are some old fashioned NOIDs that came with the house. (One might be 'Indian Chief'.) Most of the modern varieties have been choked out by vinca or shaded out by various things as they grew bigger than the irises. They just don't have the vigour of those NOIDs.

crowrita1 said:Caitlin, I'm not sure if you are into 'oldies', or the more modern ones, but, if memory serves me, you're not too far north of me, so our climate should be pretty similar. The "historic" type iris that seem bullet proof almost everywhere......Lent A. Williamson, Coronation, Ola Kala, and the I. germanicas, all seem pretty rot - proof , bloom freely, and put a lot of color in the garden. A step or two newer on the scale, would be Champagne Waltz, Debby Rairdon, Earl Of Essex, and Immortality....the last two are rebloomers that are quite reliable , for me, AND seem to be "extra hardy", as well. The "new" iris.....lots of ruffles, and such, ....are ones I haven't grown long enough to say much about, but....one sure way to find out, is plant some ! Most all of the dwarfs, and medians seem to have an extra dose of hardiness built in, and seem to thrive well, here in 5a.

Thanks, Arlyn. I am in NE IA, zone 4B. I love the historics, and I am thinking of playing around with hybridizing diploids with pbf. So yes, those are my backbones, along with sdb's and some MTB's.

I have a *pretty* large collection of Historics, so if you get *stumped* finding a "parent plant", let me know .....I may have it

Do you mind if I comment on my real life search for hardy iris for my garden?
Here is today's comment:
Dug up a bed of I.pallida and Florentina, with a few Rhages. This bed has been here for over 5 years? The I pallida foliage is quite leaf spot free, whereas the Florentina is badly spotted. I think the Rhages has PBF have to look it up. No borers. Florentina has some hollowed out rhizomes, a few with slugs nesting inside, but no real sign of rot in this bed. These hardy growers are going to another area, and new iris will be planted here, along with some of my very favorite DL'a and lilies. It will be very different!

There are, for sure, some that are more "prone" to leaf spot ! California Gold is one that, no matter what I do, is always both the first affected, and, the one that's the MOST affected! That said, it's bloom is so nice (IMHO), that I'd grow it even if the leaves were *totally* brown

zone 6b & most dwarf irises love it here.

Zone 8a and so far bearded, Louisiana and Japanese do well here. Many people in this area have cristata, and sanguinia that grow very well too. Species iris that like water do well. Arilbreds get done in by the dampness. I have yet to grow any Siberians. Dutch iris love it in my yard. To the point they defeat my best efforts to rid them from parts of the yard.

I do have to keep up on maintenance though or the bearded and Louisianas get leaf spot issues.

TB Iris: Wabash, Frank Adams, Helen Collingwood, Beverly Sills.
LA Iris: Vinicolor, Tickfaw
Species Iris: Versicolor, and Virginica
Siberian Iris rot in my garden. I have been totally unsuccessful with Dutch Iris (I really don't know what it is they require, but they have never flowered for me).

crowrita1 said: There are, for sure, some that are more "prone" to leaf spot ! California Gold is one that, no matter what I do, is always both the first affected, and, the one that's the MOST affected! That said, it's bloom is so nice (IMHO), that I'd grow it even if the leaves were *totally* brown

Then that one is getting extra sprays of Actinovate!

I wonder why siberians rot for you, Patrick. They are nearly carefree for me.

TBs do great here. The rhizomes get huge. I have a few Dutch that are doing better than in previous years. I have one species, I. germanica. I need to try other species, Arilbreds and Siberians. Oh, and I have one Louisiana, Black Gamecock that loves it here.

caitlinsgarden said:I wonder why siberians rot for you, Patrick. They are nearly carefree for me.

For some reason, I have difficulty with handling Siberian Iris rhizomes. I do better with Siberians that are already planted in pots. I used to buy Siberian 'Caeser's Brother' potted at K-Mart years ago that did very well, but the rhizomes do not do well for me when I plant them. I don't get it. Maybe I just need the great big TB Iris rhizomes that I'm used to.

Some of the itty bitty bare root siberians that I have gotten from some sources grew very slowly for me because I kept "losing" them. Others from sources like Ensata Gardens grew well right from the start. I have Caesar's Brother and it self sows eagerly. Would you like some seeds? I just let the pods fall over into the row next to the plants, veiled in the foliage - do nothing, and next spring you will see many new plants to transplant. I once collected a mason jar of seeds and grew a row of them.