Iris ‘Edith Wolford’ (Bearded Iris)

How not to stare at this superb Iris? Multiple award-winning Iris ‘Edith Wolford’ is exceptionally beautiful with its blue-violet falls crowned by gleaming, light canary yellow standards. Heavily ruffled, the blossoms of this spectacular Bearded Iris never fail to draw attention, whether in the garden or at home where it will enjoy a long vase life (1 week or more). Its large flowers are held high on sturdy stems and rise elegantly up to 35 inches high (87 cm) atop a lovely sword-shaped foliage which will continue to add interest in the landscape after flowering is over.

• Easy to grow, it is deer and rabbit resistant, and quite drought tolerant once established.
• Profuse bloomer, it produces up to 9 buds per stem and will bring its glorious and glamorous blooms in late spring or early summer over a long blooming period. Please note that bloom times depend very much on the weather.
• Won many awards including the American Dykes Medal (1993), which is one of the highest awards judged by the American Iris Society.
• Performs best in full sun in humus rich, medium moisture, well-drained soils. Tolerates light shade but best flowering and disease resistance occur in full sun. Good soil drainage is essential to prevent rot issues.
• Grows from creeping rhizomes which store food produced by the sword-shaped, semi-evergreen leaves and form large clumps over time
• A welcomed addition to herbaceous borders, sunny courtyards or urban gardens where the sword-like foliage and vibrant color will combine harmoniously with the stones and angular hardscaping. Roses also provide a lovely backdrop to this tall variety.
• The best time to plant bearded irises is July through September. Container-grown iris can be planted in the spring.
• All parts may cause discomfort if ingested. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.

Bearded irises are classified by height and flower size into 6 groups. Since these groups bloom at slightly different time, combining specimens from different groups will extend your color display for a couple of weeks.