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May 29, 2018 10:04 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lyndylu
Oregon's high desert (Zone 5b)
I love the rich, velvety look of dark purple and dark blue irises, but mine tend to get a few little white speckles on the falls. What causes that? Can it be prevented?
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May 29, 2018 10:25 AM CST
Name: Arlyn
Whiteside County, Illinois (Zone 5a)
Beekeeper Region: Illinois Irises Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Usually, I suspect drops of dew...or rain.
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May 29, 2018 2:59 PM CST
Los Altos, CA (Zone 9b)
Irises Region: Ukraine
I've been having a lot of problems with white marks on the dark velvety falls this year, too. It is really irritating. I'm not sure it is rain, because we haven't gotten that much rain, but I guess it might be dew. It's not just speckles, either, but streaks as well, and it is not all the dark irises, just some of them. Grumbling I would sure like to figure out how to prevent it, but Confused Shrug!
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May 29, 2018 3:27 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lyndylu
Oregon's high desert (Zone 5b)
Mine don't appear to be water marks; I was just wondering if it might be scarring from bits of sand that are blown against the falls. I will need to be more attentive and see if the irises that are not exposed to the wind (we are in a windy area) get the same little white specks where they're not supposed to be.

Sometimes I get white strings on them that I am pretty sure are spider webs that have gotten blown against them. I haven't figured out how to get them off, but at least they don't cause any damage.
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May 29, 2018 4:09 PM CST
Los Altos, CA (Zone 9b)
Irises Region: Ukraine
Lynn, I think you may be onto something. My worst problems are on the dark iris that I have in my front yard, which is on a very busy street. I've wondered if the marks are from tiny bits of debris thrown up by the passing cars. I've thought about moving my
dark iris to the back.
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May 30, 2018 8:51 PM CST
Moderator
Name: Kent Pfeiffer
Southeast Nebraska (Zone 5b)
Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Plant Database Moderator Plant Identifier Region: Nebraska Celebrating Gardening: 2015
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Forum moderator Irises Garden Sages Garden Ideas: Master Level
Freezing, or near freezing, temperatures at late stages of bud development can create white marks on the falls. It can happen to the standards, too, but they are less vulnerable to damage being tucked more deeply into the bud.
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May 30, 2018 9:16 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Lyndylu
Oregon's high desert (Zone 5b)
Interesting info, Kent. I had not known that before. Thanks!
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May 30, 2018 10:22 PM CST
Los Altos, CA (Zone 9b)
Irises Region: Ukraine
Thank you, Kent! Let's hope for some warm weather in March and April next year!
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  • Started by: LynnDel
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