Knowledgebase

Tall Iris - iris borers? #872953

Asked June 13, 2024, 12:46 PM EDT

We had a beautiful showing of tall iris this spring from tubers I've had for years.. Afterward the plants turned yellow and tan. We have cut away most of the damaged follage, but a few remain. (see pictures). I fear a heavy invation of iris borers. Am I correct? Do I need to pull all tubers in this bed and dispose of them to help protect the neighbors? I live in a small attached cluster of homes, so other gardens with iris are close by. Will I ever be able to replant iris in this area? Can I plant other annuals, perenials, or a shrub there?

Baltimore County Maryland

Expert Response

It's hard to tell what the culprit is from the images, since we can't see a lot of detail, but you can use the information on the two fact sheets below to determine if borers or an infection may be present. Both can be quite common in our region, and won't necessarily pose a threat to other plant species if you choose to replant the area with something else. If you prefer to keep the Irises to try rehabilitating them, management information for each ailment is included in those documents. Miri

Loading ...