Plant type: bulbous.
Description: We used to think that irises are peculiar flowers with a rhizome, but there are also some species that have bulbs. The species is widely known, and probably the most beloved, reticulated iris – Iris reticulata , which begins to bloom in February. But it is also worth mentioning another species, which is a magnificent bulbous plant, called Juno. It blooms in April. It grows well in gardens and does not cause any disturbance, blooming luxuriantly every spring with yellow and white flowers. Its other name is Bukhara iris. It has several characteristic features: firstly, the plant is bulbous, and the bulbs themselves have stable fleshy roots, which must be treated with great care, and secondly, the foliage of the flower has longitudinal hollows, which alternately are located on each side of the stem. Juno – flowers appear one at a time in the axils of the foliage and at the top of the stem.
The birthplace of these magnificent flowers, as the name implies, is the vicinity of Bukhara, a city in Central Asia. The natural habitat is rocky areas, and the plant itself is found in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Afghanistan.
The flower reaches a height of about 40 cm, the leaves are lanceolate, their width is about 4 cm, and the length is 20 cm. At the top, the foliage is brilliant green, and blue-green towards the bottom. Approximately 7 flowers appear on the stem, all of them are in the leaf axils. The shade is yellow, they reach a width of about 3 cm.
- Care: easy.
- Growing environment: garden, greenhouse.
- Temperature regime: in the summer, the Juno requires a warm temperature.
- Light: Juno flower grows best in full sunlight.
Soil Type: Requires well-drained soil, neutral to slightly acidic. It is desirable that the soil be enriched with nutrients.
Watering: moderate. In the summer, you should not water the flower excessively. With a large amount of water, the roots of the juno can rot.
Planting: Juno bulbs are best planted in late summer or autumn, and planting depth should be about 5 cm. Coarse sand or bone meal can be added before planting. You can also plant this type of iris in a cool greenhouse, while the container where the flower will be grown should be deep enough. For the soil, pick up loam, compost, garden coarse sand, so you will ensure proper soil drainage. Juno also needs good ventilation, and the pots should be damp if necessary during the summer.
Juno flower bloom in a pot in the photo.
When growing in the garden, divide the established growth as soon as the leaves die. This procedure can be carried out once every few years, as soon as it seems to you that the plant has become thick enough. If you see any signs of illness on the juno foliage, then dig up the plant and destroy the bulbs, as they are most likely infected with some kind of virus.
Cultivation Companions: It should be noted that very often gardeners grow these plants in groups without mixing them with other species. As a rule, they look great along the terraces. But if you still want to grow them in a group with other plants, then you need to choose those that also begin to bloom in the spring, such as tulips or lavenders. In addition, this variety of irises looks good among semi-shrubs. You do not need to grow them with those plants that will form a shadow, and do not allow the sun’s rays to pass to the flower.
Tips and tricks for care: during planting, in no case should the fleshy roots of the flower be damaged.