I have been growing the purplish beard iris for at least 20 years. They keep coming back every year. This morning I found a completely different one, more yellow colour, size also smaller. Since I have no other irises, I assume this is probably a mutation. Are mutations common in irises ?
There must be hundreds of different colours in irises, they're very easy to hybridize from what I've heard. If there are other irises around, maybe it's the result of cross-pollination - if it grew from a self-sown seed.
I have only this type of iris and the "mutation" one grows up alone in the same patch. Doesn't seem to grow up from seed.
QUESTION @David Tang — do these iris grow & flower in large pots? Successfully? longterm? special food? just curious - I like these very much and don’t have permanent space
This is the first time I found it in my flower bed. Had not been growing them in pot. The iris had been left on their own, no food, hardly any care ! I attach a few foto to illustrate the difference in size.
Can you follow the rhizome of the yellow iris back to see if it is separate from or continuous with the rhizomes of the normal irises? If it is separate, then it probably is a seed variant; if continuous, then it might be the result of a mutation in the rhizome, analogous to a bud sport in a fruit tree.
