Hi. Are you speaking of species that used to be called Aril, Iris? I used to have some beautiful species many years & had no clue about them at all. They were sold by Van Bourgondien's up until about 1990, then suddenly stopped likely due to CITES regulations, for endangered species.. (Even though likely grown in Holland in greenhouses) I think the common name for one, was 'Mourning Iris' & wow was it stunning. Flowered, by bringing indoors for winter, actually, as it is a really true 'cool season'' grower...I grew them in pots, but used sandy soil as noted by the previous poster, but added white marble chips mixed in near the strange roots, with a layer at the bottom of the pot & also above the roots to aid with drainage. I do believe they originate from areas near Syria, where they grow wild. (Required fairly dry soil in summer, too, as would go dormant) My last one didn't have just quite enough protection from summer thunderstorm downpours, as I had recently moved to a new location...
Some years ago, I wanted to try again, but they were mostly hybrids, grown & offered by an individual gardener in PA. Maybe they offered seeds, from a group like NARGS, except the list of seeds offered were of Iris ...I think he mostly covered his outdoors in winter, with a raised panel ( of plexiglass ?) to help keep them from getting covered by snow in winter & then avoid subsequent rotting. Others were up near the foundation & protected by the eaves overhang, possibly.
I have seen Aril hybrids offered on the web, & they can be really something else, with astounding blooms. As for 'Dardanus', it just didn't do well, as in Spring it would get going, then act like it was about to bloom & suddenly want to go dormant. The flowers of the hybrids roots I saw shown online may have been offered by a commercial grower in Texas.
