Bearded Irises
Bearded Irises, Tall Bearded Irises, Intermediate Bearded Irises, Miniature Tall Bearded Irises, Border Bearded Irises, Miniature Dwarf Bearded Irises, Standard Dwarf Bearded Irises
The showiest members of the genus 'Iris', Bearded Irises (Iris germanica) should have a place in any garden. While there are thousands of cultivars, all bear flowers with 6 petals: 3 upright petals (standards) and 3 dropping petals (falls) displaying a fuzzy line or beard in their center, guiding insects towards the pollen.
- Flowers come in an array of gorgeous colors in the spring (April to June depending on the cultivar) with some cultivars re-blooming in the summer and fall.
- Many re-blooming iris are fragrant.
- Perform best in full sun in humus-rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils. They tolerate light shade, but the best flowering and disease resistance occurs in full sun. Good soil drainage is essential to prevent rot issues.
- Grow from creeping rhizomes which store food produced by the sword-shaped, semi-evergreen leaves and form large clumps over time
- Welcomed additions to herbaceous borders, sunny courtyards, or urban gardens where the sword-like foliage and vibrant colors will combine harmoniously with the stones and angular hardscaping. Roses provide a lovely backdrop to the tall varieties while the miniature dwarf irises are well suited to containers or rock gardens. Miniature Tall Bearded Irises are perfect for the vase.
- The best time to plant bearded iris is July through September. Container-grown iris can be planted in the spring.
- Bearded irises are classified by height and flower size into 6 groups. Since these groups bloom at slightly different times, combining specimens from different groups will extend your color display for a couple of weeks.
Miniature Dwarf (MDB) |
Flower size: 2-3 in. (5-8 cm) Best spring Cultivars: Bantam (ruffled deep red-purple), Scribe (white with blue edging), Zipper (golden yellow with blue beards) Best reblooming Cultivars: Ditto (cream and maroon bicolor) |
Standard Dwarf (SDB) |
Flower size: 2-3 in. (5-8 cm) Best spring Cultivars: Bay Ruffles (ruffled light blue), Starlight Waltz (ruffled cream), Violet Lulu (soft violet), Watercolor (yellow standards with brown falls) Best reblooming Cultivars: Baby Blessed (light yellow), Jewel Baby (deep purple), Plum Wine (plum red with violet shading), Refined (pale yellow), Sun Doll (yellow) |
Intermediate (IB) |
Flower size: 4-5 in. (10-13 cm) Best spring Cultivars: Baby Blue Marine (light blue), Brighten Up (orange with coral beards), Piece of Cake (pink with orchid markings), Red Zinger (deep red) Best reblooming Cultivars: Blessed Again (light yellow), I Bless (cream, flowers nearly all summer), Concertina (pink) Honey Glazed (yellow), Low Ho Silver (silvery white) |
Miniature Tall (MTB) |
Flower size: 4-5 in. (10-13 cm) Best spring Cultivars: Chickee (ruffled deep yellow), Disco Jewel (reddish-brown with violet), Loreley (yellow and violet) New Wave (clear white), Rosemary's Dream (white, and orchid)
|
Border Bearded (BB) |
Flower size: 4-8 in. (10-20 cm) Best spring Cultivars: Just Jennifer (white), Pink Bubbles (pink), Predictions (pink standards with falls), Tulare (yellow) Best reblooming Cultivars: Double Up (blue and white bicolor with dark violet borders), Ultra Echo (lavender with violet) |
Tall Bearded Irises (TB) |
Flower size: 2-3 in. (6-8 cm) Best spring Cultivars: Beverly Sills (pink), Crystal Glitters (cream and peach), Darkside (purple), Fringe Benefits (orange), Lullaby of Spring (yellow and lavender), Silver Fizz (orchid), Spinning Wheel (blue standards), Superstition (Black), Venus and Mars (violet) Best reblooming Cultivars: Bountiful Harvest (white and purple), Champagne Elegance (white & pink), Clarence (white & violet ), Feed Back (medium blue-violet), Eternal Bliss (violet with tangerine falls), Late Lilac (lilac), Immortality (white), Misty Twilight (pale violet-blue), Pink Attraction (ruffled pale pink), Silver Dividends (white), Suky (violet & white), Summer Olympics (light yellow), Violet Music (violet), Zurich (white with yellow beards). |
- Ingestion may cause discomfort.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 10
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 9
|
Climate Zones | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Late) |
Height | 2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
Spread | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Spacing | 12" - 24" (30cm - 60cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Average |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam |
Soil pH | Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Rabbit |
Attracts | Bees, Butterflies |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers, Wall-Side Borders |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage |
Compare All Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris Great Plant Combination
Ideas with Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris Guides with Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris
Pictures: Schreiner's Iris Gardens (www.schreinersgardens.com), / 123RF Stock Photo / 123RF Stock Photo / 123RF Stock Photo, Olexandr Panchenko, Shutterstock
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Guide Information
Hardiness |
3 - 10
|
---|---|
Heat Zones |
1 - 9
|
Climate Zones | 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
Plant Type | Perennials |
Plant Family | Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Late) Summer (Early,Late) |
Height | 2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
Spread | 1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
Spacing | 12" - 24" (30cm - 60cm) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Average |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam |
Soil pH | Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Cut Flowers, Fragrant, Showy |
Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Rabbit |
Attracts | Bees, Butterflies |
Landscaping Ideas | Beds and Borders, Patio and Containers, Wall-Side Borders |
Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Coastal Garden, Informal and Cottage |
Compare All Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris Great Plant Combination
Ideas with Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris Guides with Iris Germanica - Bearded Iris