ASSORTMENT OF IRIDACEAE FAMILY, GROWING AT THE FRIENDSHIP TREE BOTANICAL GARDEN

At the department of the Friendship Tree Botanical Garden – the Subtropical Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Iridaceae family is represented by five genera: Iris Tourn. ex L., Crocus L., Gladiolus Tourn. ex L., Freesia Eckl. ex Klatt., Crocosmia Planch. The purpose of this work is to study the Iridaceae assortment growing on the territory of the botanical garden in the Russian humid subtropical zone. The climate of the zone is unique and belongs to the Mediterranean type. The research was carried out according to the methods generally accepted in the introduction and refined at the Centre. Iridaceae representatives grown at the Centre are supported in two collections: bulbous and bulbous flower crops collection and the genus Iris collection. The flowering of Iridaceae collection in the Friendship Tree Botanical Garden provides a decorative view for the garden almost throughout the year. Representatives of the genus Crocus were the first to bloom (from late January). Their flowering period lasted until the end of March. At the same time, iridodictyums bloomed – from the mid-February to mid-March, inclusive. Then hermodactylus – from late March to early April. Xiphium blooms were observed from mid-April to late May. Freesia bloomed at the end of February (in the potted culture in the pavilion), from mid-March to early May (in the wildflower culture on the balcony). Rhizomatous irises bloomed from the mid-March (Japanese iris), dwarf irises (from early April), tall bearded irises (in April-May), Iris notha and Iris pseudonotha (in mid and late June). During the summer, the crocosmia bloomed in the garden (from early July to the early September). Since mid-October, autumn crocuses were blooming. The Algerian iris’s flowering conveyor was completed (from November to January). The analysis of the flowering calendar showed problematic periods (flowerless or low-flowered) and allowed us to outline ways to solve them.