Bearded Iris Plant Profile

Bearded Iris Plant Profile

Bearded Iris (Iris × germanica) is a group of European hybrid iris also known as the German Bearded Irises. They are considered to be a natural hybrid between Iris pallida and Iris variegata. There are thousands of Bearded Iris cultivars available.

The cultivars come in every color and combination from pure whites to pinks, browns, yellows, and almost jet black -- though the classic Bearded Iris is a deep purple.

They are perennial plants that typically bloom in mid- to late-spring.  Note that some cultivars can re-bloom in the fall.

Bearded Irises are hardy to USDA zones 3 to 9. They are deer-resistant and drought-tolerant.

They prefer to grow in full sun with well-draining soils. If they do not get enough sunlight, the flower stalks will stretch and flop over. If they are in too much moisture, the roots will rot.

Do not apply a high nitrogen fertilizer as this encourages leaf growth and can make the plant susceptible to bacterial rot.

They can be propagated by seed or by division. You will need to divide them every 3-5 years, so they don’t become too crowded. The best time to divide the plants is during the late summer or early fall. When you plant the new divisions, be sure the soil level is just to the top of the rhizomes and not burying them.

The foliage stays evergreen most of the year. In the fall, you can trim back any brown or floppy leaves or fans. Clearing out this dead foliage can prevent the dreaded iris borer from wintering over in the plants.

In addition to the typical tall varieties of Bearded Iris, there are also miniature and dwarf versions. The smaller kinds typically bloom earlier in the season then the larger ones.

Bearded Iris: You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine as part of our Plant Profile series for Mid-Atlantic USA gardeners.

Video and editing by Jessica Harden

Audio and text by Kathy Jentz

 

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Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) Plant Profile

Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) Plant Profile

The Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) is a small iris that is native to the eastern United States. This dwarf iris is beardless and it faces right up at you, unlike so many other woodland and native flowers that require you to peer at them from a snail's vantage point.

It grows just a few inches tall and is best suited for the borders of woodland paths and fronts of part-shade flower beds. When not in flower, the narrow foliage is like that of bearded iris, but as it is much smaller, it is hardly noticeable.

The bloom time is late April to early May. It blooms on the previous year's growth, so it will take a year to establish and flower.

It spreads slowly by underground rhizomes. It is easy to divide and share or put in different spots around your own garden. If you want to propagate it by seed allow the seedpods to dry on the plant then break them open over an envelope to collect the seeds.

They are drought-tolerant, trouble-free, and require no care once established. It does well in rock gardens and on slopes as well.

Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata): You Can Grow That!

The video was produced by Washington Gardener Magazine.

Audio, Video, Photos, and Text by Kathy Jentz

Editing by Hojung Ryu

 

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~ Podcast: GardenDC

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Bloom Day Fleur de Lys

It is Garden Blogger's Bloom Day again! On the 15th of each month, we gardeners with blogs share a few bloom photos from our gardens. 

Here in the Mid-Atlantic USA (USDA zone 7) on the DC-MD border, we had a soggy and cool spring, so my garden is happy--though I've had little chance to get out there and maintain or enjoy it!

In my garden, I have a multitude of blooms, but I thought I'd focus on just the Irises this time. Most are bearded types. None have names as they were all pass-along plants that I got from other gardeners -- either at plant swaps or in direct trades. Likewise, the one patch of Siberian Iris I have is from a garden club friend.

One Iris that I forgot to take a photo of was the Yellow Flag Iris in my pond, also a pass-along plant. It is considered invasive, but on my urban corner location it isn't going anywhere (plus I snip the seedheads off before they can ripen).

So what is blooming today in YOUR garden?