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  Re: Observations on growing plants in bogs
From: Paul Tyerman ptyerman at ozemail.com.au> on 2002.06.09 at 16:55:00(8976)
>
>I have not had the same experience with my yellow flags (Iris pseudacorus or
>my blue flags (Iris versicolor). They were in the same situation: water
>rose to above their crowns (growing points) during the spring, and rot set
>in quickly. If I had not lifted them they would undoubtedly have died, even
>though they did have "water roots". The difference seems to be whether or
>not they have developed "water crowns". The water level rose to about 2"
>above their emerged stalks. They had been in normal soil, then flooded in
>the spring, and the water kept rising.
>

Howdy Kathy,

Actually I'd be more hazarding that the soil components rotted, thereby
taking out the roots. There is a definite difference between happily
potted water plants and rotting soil. The only water irises I have ever
lost stank when removed... whether this was themselves or the soil I do not
know.

I have pots of Iris pseudacorus and I 'Gerald Darby' completely submersed
in water as well as plants from teh same stock growing in a normal garden.
One was grown first of each (the pseudacorus was originally a garden plant
whereas the 'Gerald Darby' was originally a water plant) and then offsets
were used in the alternative conditions. Plants such as Iris laevagata
will grow in either situation (I have a number of them that are fully
submerged.... I have been told they prefer that) yet their relatives the
Iris kaempheri (syn I. ensata) tend to rot if fully submerged. BUT, I pot
with a high sand content when potting water plants, which is very different
to my main soil, so perhaps that is the problem when your garden plants
were inundated.

Ron, you said that you were getting good success with growing the
Spathiphyllums that you have tried with roots in water but crowns above.
Have you made notes on teh rootsystem before and after? Or even photos?
Are there noticeable differences in the roots that the plant possessed when
"in the ground" as opposed to "in the water"? Those sort of observations
could be useful to those interested in this area.

And.... I just got the Deni Bown "AROIDS: Plants of teh Arum Family"
book..... WOW. So cool! So much to learn from that, and I had no idea of
the variety within the "warmer" varieties of Aroid, having rarely seen many
of the things shown. Some of the broad, longer strap-like leaves on some
of the Anthuriums are just amazing. And I never realised that a couple of
things were actually Aroids (Syngonium, Dieffenbachia for example) so the
indoor plants I was going to purchase when I clean up my office have just
made a right-turn in planning . From first look it is a VERY cool
book.

Cheers.

Paul Tyerman

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