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Iris darwasica

Darwas Iris · Aril Iris

Family IridaceaeGenus Iris

Also published as Iris hoogiana. You are in the right place.

A two-part figure: a close view of a dusky pink-and-brown iris at the left, and a clump of the same flowers over grassy leaves among rocks at the right.
FlowerArkadiusz Nowak, Marcin Nobis, Sylwia Nowak, Agnieszka Nobis, Anna Wróbel, Sebastian Świerszcz, Ewelina Klichowska, Iwona Dembicz & Grzegorz KuszaCC BY 4.0
A deep violet iris with a narrow orange beard on each hanging petal, among gray-green leaves
FlowerDenis.prévôtCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
rhizomatous geophytePlants of the World Online
Flower
Dark purple, lilacWikipedia
Native range
Afghanistan, Tadzhikistan, UzbekistanGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; Wikipedia — Wikipedia contributors; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Named for the Darvaz mountains between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, where it grows. It was listed as endangered in the 1997 IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants, and Tajikistan's Red Data Book lists it as declining, threatened by flower collecting and economic activity. Wikipedia: Iris darwasica
  • Paul Graeber, collecting for the van Tubergen bulb nursery in Haarlem, found it in southern Turkestan in 1913 and sent the rhizomes back. Its name refers to the Hoog brothers, Dutch nurserymen who managed van Tubergen. Wikipedia: Iris hoogiana

Two sources report two treatments between them. Both are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around February 1, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Temperature: 40°F 4°C

Germination happens during step 1, in 63 days.

33% germination in 63 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Iris p. 50Public domain
Show the original text
Iris (Iridaceae). The Aril Iris including Juno have been one of the most difficult groups to germinate. Section VI is devoted to this problem. Alternating cycles means alternating between 3 m at 40 and 3 m at 70 (just a reminder). I. darwasica germ. 1/3 in the 9th w at 40 after 3.5 y of alternating 3 m cycles starting at 70.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Iris p. 50. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 17, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 16, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

about 6 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

25% germination.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Iris p. 156Public domain
Show the original text
Iris (Iridaceae). This genus gave -not only great diversity in germination behavior but also some of the most extended multicycle germination observed. Germination is always hypogeal, and true leaves develop in 'a week or two once the radicle emerges even when germination was delayed for years. Empty seed coats and deformed seeds are relatively easy to recognize so that seed counts and percent germination are accurate. A major problem is how to stimulate the germination of Oncocyclus and Regelia Iris since they have such extended natural germinations. Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanical Garden has iritorrmed me that Fritz Kummert In Austria, Frank Norris in Tennessee (USA), and David Shahak in Israel are growing Oncocyclus Iris from seed in large numbers. Panayoti said that there are reports that germination was much improved by rinsing the seed in dilute Chlorox (aqueous NaOCI) and rubbing off the seed coats after which the seeds germ. readily at 40. There are also reports that gibberelic acid and other chemicals stimulate germination. Data is needed using scientific procedures. A recent book, "The Iris" by B. Mathew, is devoted to this genus. Mathew divides the genus into six subgenera with further division into sections and series. His arrangement is used only in part. The species are arranged in alphabetical order for convenience with subgenus or section indicated in parentheses using the abbreviations B (bearded), Bx (beardless), E (Evansia), 'N (Nepalensis), .0 (Oncocyclus), P (Pardanthopsis), A (Regelia), At (Aeticulata), and X (Xiphium). I. hoogiana (R) germ. 40-70-40(1/4) and none in four more cycles and none in 3 years of cycles starting at 70 using fresh seed. Seed DS 6m at 70 germ. 1/3 in the 11th cycle (at 40).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Iris p. 156. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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