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Iris PCH 'Canyon Sunshine' (Canyon Sunshine Pacific Coast Hybrid Iris) - This Pacific Coast Hybrid Iris grows to be a clumps of tough evergreen narrow straplike foliage to 12 to 18 inches tall and spreads to 2 to 3 feet wide and in spring appear the large buttery yellow flowers, just shy of five inches in width, with petals are etched with light brown veins and slightly darker basal yellow eye spots.
As with other Pacific Coast Hybrid Iris, plant in a light acidic soil in full sun (coastal only), light shade, morning or late afternoon shade and water sparingly in coastal areas and more regularly inland - in our coastal gardens in light shade it can survive on winter rainfall alone. Plants are cold hardy to 15-20 degrees F or slightly lower for short duration. Transplanting or dividing and replanting should be done in December. In heavy alkaline conditions that are often found in southern California soils the addition of peat moss or soil sulfur is recommended, and with very heavy soils applications of gypsum can be beneficial. For more information see the Society for Pacific Coast Native Iris.
'Canyon Sunshine' is a hybrid created by Dara Emery (1922-1992), the legendary horticulturist, plant breeder and author who had a 35-year tenure as "The Horticulturist" at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden. This plant was accessioned in 1993, one year after Dara's passing and was the result of crossing two of Dara's other Irises, the large flowering yellow Iris 'Canyon Gold' (a plant sadly lost in cultivation) and the ever popular and durable white flowering Iris douglasiana 'Canyon Snow', which shares the same strong yellow basal spot at the base on the petals. 'Canyon Sunshine' was officially introduced at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden 2006 Fall plant sale, but it has taken us many years to build up enough stock to finally have enough to release it at our nursery in 2015. More information on this plant can be found on the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden's Iris 'Canyon Sunshine' Plant Introduction Page.
This information about Iris PCH 'Canyon Sunshine' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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