What Are Arils and Arilbreds?
Once upon a time, many colorful iris grew wild in Europe. Their beauty won them a place in formal gardens and, eventually, human hands started spreading pollen around to create an even wider variety of colors, patterns, and forms. Thus began the race that now graces our gardens, although they were rather small by today’s standards. Collectors found other types of iris around the Mediterranean, with larger flowers, and brought them home to use with existing lines. Easier said than done, because the two types weren’t compatible but that’s another story. For now, it’s only important to say that they did succeed and created an artificial race. The one we now call Tall Bearded Iris. In the meantime, other more exotic iris grew wild in the Middle East and Southwest Asia. Technically, these are called arillate species because their seeds bear small white rings at one end that look like collars. Two of these groups, the oncocyclus and regelia species, have large, exceptionally impressive flowe
