Neomarica Caerulea (J.B

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Neomarica caerulea (J.B. Ker Gawler) T.A. Sprague Walking Iris (Cipura caerulea, Cypella caerulea, Galathea coerulea, Galathea speciosa, Marica caerulea, Trimezia caerulea) • Also known as Apostle's Iris, Apostle Plant, Giant Walking Iris, Lirio, Marica Iris, or Twelve Apostles, N. caerulea is the most commonly encountered of the Walking Irises in our region; this species in the family Iridaceae from Brazil is reliable as an evergreen herbaceous perennial in subtropical to tropical climates, USDA hardiness zones 9b(9a) to 13, or can be grown in warmer portions of USDA hardiness zone 8 as a dieback herbaceous perennial; plants in College Station, Texas, survived 17˚F with partial to complete dieback of foliage, but quickly returned from the underground rhizomes; it can be grown as a potted patio plant when used in colder locations; plants form slowly increasing colonies with dense clusters of long broadly lanceolate leaves held in fan-like fashion (equitant) similar to that of the Louisiana Irises; plants are larger than some of the other Neomarica T.A. Sprague, often growing 3 to 4 (5) tall in warmer parts of our region. • Walking Iris will tolerate a wide range of light exposures from full sun to moderately dense shade, however best growth and flowering occurs in light shade and in drier climates plants suffer in full sun; heat tolerance and tolerance to occasionally wet soils are assets, but drought tolerance is not great and plants should be grown where regular moisture is available; they can be used along moist woodland trails, near streams or water features, in perennial borders or shade gardens where root hardy, as small shrub substitutes in tropical areas, and as container plants in colder climates; plants will tolerate some salinity in irrigation water and a modest range of soil pH. • Flowers are very striking and unlike many species of Iris, N. caerulea will repeat bloom during much of the growing season or potentially throughout the year in tropical regions; stunning Iris-like flowers originating from the midrib of mature leaves featuring three large blue, purple, or sometimes white falls (sepals), alternating with smaller recurring blue or purple standards (petals); standards are typically mottled throughout with white or light cream, while both standards and falls are mottled or stripped with brown-red or maroon horizontal striping at the bases; flowers usually last but a day, but new ones open every few days; overall the flowers are about the size of a German Iris or Louisiana Iris; flowers emerge from an interesting green sheath-like bract, vaguely reminiscent of Strelitzia; If allowed to remain after bloom, viviparous plantlets may form that can be detached and used to propagate more plants or may root as these bloom stalks arch over with the weight and contact soil; this is the origin of the name Walking Iris; alternatively, capsules containing numerous flattened orange-brown seeds can be produced; the genus name means a new (neo) genus in honor of the river nymph Marica of Greek mythology, and of course the specific epithet refers to the blue-purple flowers. • Other Walking Irises which might be trialed in our region include, Neomarica altivallis (P.F. Ravenna) A. Gil with broad creamy yellow falls and small white mottled purple standards, both with maroon tiger striped bases, Neomarica candida (É. Hassler) T.A. Sprague with large glistening white falls and smaller blue mottled white standards, both with tiger striped maroon-brown and yellow banded bases; Neomarica longifolia (J.H.F. Link & C.F. Otto) T.A. Sprague with yellow flowers speckled brown in the interior, and Neomarica gracilis (W. Herbert) T.A. Sprague with long white falls and blue-purple and white mottled standards, both with purple-red bases; these other species vary in size from about 1 to 3 tall depending upon the taxon and local growing conditions; cold/heat tolerances of these species need to be determined for our region.