Flowers in a Rainbow of Colors
In Greek mythology, Iris was the goddess of the rainbow — she was revered for her role in bringing rainfall to farmland. True to their namesake, bearded irises are available in a rainbow of colors, including intriguing multi-colored varieties, so there’s surely a variety whose flowers will complement your other perennials. Plus, the tall, sword-shaped leaves add a dose of drama when combined with plants with shrubby shapes like peonies or small shrubs like spireas.

Here are just a handful of bearded iris varieties to give you a sense of the range of colors available:

	Wine Red: Bearded Iris Gypsy Romance
	Orange: Reblooming Bearded Iris Orange Harvest
	Yellow: Reblooming Bearded Iris Harvest of Memories
	Blue: Reblooming Bearded Iris Sugar Blues
	White: Reblooming Bearded Iris Immortality
	Almost Black: Bearded Iris Night Ruler

Planting Bearded Irises
Bearded irises are easy, reliable, and long-lived, as long as you site them properly. Choose a spot in full sun with well-drained soil. The plants grow from rhizomes (fleshy roots) and the roots will rot if the soil they’re in remains saturated for prolong periods. If you’re in doubt about your soil’s drainage, plant your bearded iris in raised beds. Each plant consists of a rhizome with a few thick, white roots and a fan of trimmed leaves. Set the rhizome horizontally so that the top surface of the rhizome peeks above the soil. Buried too deeply, the rhizome may rot. After planting, you can mulch around the planting area but keep the rhizome exposed.

Bearded irises are classified into several types: miniature dwarf (height 8 inch or less, 1 to 2 inch diameter flowers), standard dwarf (height 8 to 15 inches), intermediate (height 16 to 27 inches), miniature tall (height 16 to 25 inches, small flowers), border (height 16 to 27 inches), and tall (height 28 to 38 inches). The shorter iris flower first, followed by the intermediate, and then the taller irises.

The Bearded Iris spreads from rhizomes and this is what many people share with their neighbors. Iris bulbs are best moved in the fall. But one must remember to mark them in the spring so the colorful blooming flower bulbs can be identified. Cut a notch in the leaf to mark color for fall planting.

While moving or dividing iris bulbs look for borer damage and discard infected rhizomes. If for some reason it is necessary to move your bearded irises in the spring. Be sure to leave the foliage on them to help root reserves for plant survival and next year’s flowering.

Irises should be divided every 4 to 5 years to keep the plants healthy and flowering vigorously. Flowering seems to increase when plants are given space to grow so plant them about 18 inches apart.

Bearded Iris

Growing Bearded Iris:

Good bearded iris are almost effortless to grow. For old fashioned iris, as well as some of the newer hybrids, make sure to plant the flower bulbs in an area with good drainage. Old fashioned iris will endure droughts easily – but they do not tolerate soggy soil. They actually prefer dry soil in summer. You may plant bearded iris in late winter, summer or fall. They grow best in the south, but some have been adapted for more northern climates.   Bearded iris make excellent summer bulbs and fall bulbs.

Choosing your Hybrid and Caring for your Bearded Irises:

With so many varieties of hybrids to choose from, it is best to check the directions or consult, if possible, a nurseryman in your area. The following instructions are general and should apply to most iris varieties. There are some hybrids, however, who do require different circumstances, more watering, fertilizing and care.

For ideal conditions, find a sunny, slightly elevated spot which drains water quickly. Loosen the soil to a depth of about 12 inches and work in some organic matter – compost, composed manure, sphagnum peat moss and/or shredded leaves. Rhizomes should be planted 12 to 15 inches apart, but DO NOT completely bury the rhizome. It is best if the top half of the rhizome shows at the top of the soil.

After pushing the soil firmly around the rhizome, water thoroughly. Do not cover the rhizome with mulch. The tops of the rhizome should be exposed to sunlight. After that, the “tried and true” irises get by on their own. It is not necessary to water them except when they are planted and during the period of active growth in the spring. Other than that, watering is optional. The plant may get brown tips on the foliage in the heat of August. If that is a problem for you, you can water them some, but it is not necessary since they adapt very well to hot, drought-like conditions.

When planted in fertile soil, they rarely need extra food. If you feel the need to feed them, just a small amount of organic, slow-release fertilizer, such as blood meal, bone meal or cottonseed meal sprinkled around the rhizomes after the flowers fade will be more than enough.

The History of Bearded Irises:

Bearded Iris: Regal Beauty in Rich Colors

It should be no surprise that the kings of France selected Bearded Iris (or, German Iris) as their emblem, the fleur-de-lis. The blossoms of this late spring/early summer flower possess a stately, classical beauty with their three “standards” (upright petals) and three “falls” (the pendulous ones). The English name, Bearded Iris, refers to the bristly hairs emerging from the flowers’ throats, but the flower is often referred to as the German Iris. These sun-loving, hardy perennials produce a succession of blooms on sturdy stems above bold, sword-shaped leaves. Some Bearded Iris have a sweet perfume, many rebloom.

Benefits of the Bearded Iris:

Bearded Irises combine ethereal beauty with a thoroughly practical, hard-working nature. The flower bulbs, which measure up to 6 inches across, come in every color of the spectrum except true red, including some of the subtlest, most exquisite shades of the garden. As long-lived perennials, Bearded Irises can take summertime drought and are hardy from Nebraska to Mississippi and Arizona, flourishing in any sunny spot and on a wide range of soils, as long as they are well drained. Bearded Irises are traditional highlights of the June perennial border but show up well in cottage plantings, too.