The tall, beautiful iris, named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows, comes in many magical colors. Despite its divine origins, this June bloomer is rugged, reliable, and easy to grow. Plant from midsummer to fall! Here’s how to plant properly—plus, important iris plant care tips.
There are some 300 species in the genus Iris. The most familiar irises are the tall (at least 28 inches) bearded irises (Iris germanica).
These distinctive six-petaled flowers have three outer hanging petals (called “falls”) and three inner upright petals (called “standards”).
Irises may be a “bearded” type or crested (beardless). Bearded iris are so-called because they have soft hairs along the center of the falls. In crested iris, the hairs form a comb or ridge.
Most irises flower in early summer. Some—mostly bearded hybrids—are remontant, flowering again later in the summer.
Irises attract butterflies and hummingbirds, and make lovely cut flowers. For iris companions in the garden, look to roses, peonies, and lilies.
Reader Comments
Leave a Comment
Iris's - General
I am caring for a very large garden with numerous varieties of everything including iris's - my primary question today is can all iris's stay in ground thru the winter?
Wintering irises
Sheila, I was just reading that “heaving” is a concern for wintering:
“In areas with very cold winters, Irises may benefit from being planted more deeply, making them less susceptible to heaving during freeze-thaw cycles.”
(The Almanac wont allow me to post a link, but it is from the latest blog entry at the American Iris Society’s web page.)
But root rot also seems to be a concern, so not too deep!
Happy gardening!
Invasive iris
We live beside Okanagan Lake. A 'clump' of yellow iris with very tall leaves in the yard (mostly sand) is making me nuts! we thought we dug them all out this spring..... but they are back with a vengence & spreading into my new shrubs! They are very deep in the ground & seem to be quite invasive. They look like the Siberian Iris, but are more foliage than flowers. What can I do to get rid of them?
Iris's - General
Here's my next question - is it too late to separate my clump. These have been so neglected for so long, one of the current 'clumps' is probably 2' square! Is it too late in the season to dig this up, take care of it, and replant?
Separating Irises
No, it’s certainly not too late to dig up and separate irises! The cool fall weather is ideal.
Iris
Hi, my Iris's after blooming had an eggy shape thing come out of the flower died, can you tell me what that is,,,thank you
egg shaped growth
That is a seed pod!
Iris
Something is eating my leaves of my Iris. What can I put on them?
Iris borer
It might be an iris borer. This can only be controlled by sanitation and the timely application of insecticides. Remove and destroy dead iris foliage in late fall or early spring. This will eliminate many of the iris borer eggs. An insecticide should be applied in spring when the new shoots are 4 to 6 inches tall. An application of an insecticide at this time should destroy small iris borer larvae before they have the opportunity to bore into the iris foliage. Speak to your local cooperative extension or garden center about treatments approved in your area.
Iris
Thanks for your timely iris information.
Iris and weeds
How do I keep grass and weeds from growing in my iris bed?
Weed Control in Iris Beds
Yes, weeds can be challenging in iris beds! Annual grasses, such as crabgrass and foxtail, can be controlled by hand pulling.
But perennial grasses, such as quackgrass, are much more difficult to control as they spread via underground stems or rhizomes. One option is to dig up the irises in July or August and replant them in a different (weed-free) location. Another option is to dig up the irises in July or August, set the irises in a shady location, and then dig up the grass and carefully remove the rhizomes and other plant parts. Dig up the area 2 or 3 times over a 3 to 4 week period, each time removing any rhizomes visible in the soil. Replant the irises in their original location after thorough eradication efforts. Quackgrass cannot be controlled by hand pulling. Herbicides are not a practical control measure for home gardeners.
Mulch is helpful in preventing weed growth, but it should be used sparingly (no greater than a 2-inch layer) to avoid disease problems. There are many herbicides labeled for use on irises.
weeds in iris bed
Can I spray the entire bed with a product like weed be gone to solve the problem
Soil for Iris
Planning to split and spread Irises - how should I prepare soil in new location? Thanks
Soil for Iris
Please see the “Planting” section, above!
After the bloom ...
Hi, i enjoy my irises each year and have had them in my yard since my mother planted them when I was a child. I'm now 68. They were transplanted just once from one side of the yard to the other. Beautiful each year. My question is this: after the flower wilts away there is a "bud" on the stem. What is this bud? Is it a seed to plant. If so I would like to plant them elsewhere ... look forward to your reply.
Iris Seeds
A seed pod will develop after the flower—however, you’d be much better off transplanting a couple of the existing rhizomes to another area. The seeds will take a long time to produce blooming plants, whereas the rhizomes should bloom in a year or two.
Irises Dug Up
Our gas company is working on gas lines and dig up an entire bed of our irises. I transplanted them in another location, but what else can I do to ensure their health?
Transplanting Irises
Irises transplant fairly easily; in fact, the general guideline is to “thin” irises every 3 or so years by digging them up, dividing them, and replanting.
It’s hard for us to answer your question because the main issues in transplanting are timing (September) as well as how you prepare the beds and plants. That part is done.
Here’s what you should have done: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/flowers/iris.html
At this point, we hope the planting went well. Just avoid over-watering; irises hate wet feet and they will rot if water logged.
Unopened flowers
Something is eating my buds before they open. HELP!
Iris bud eaters
Are you sitting down? This is not pretty. Your iris are the victims of a small white Orthacheta Bud Fly maggot that bores into the side of the bud and eats the pollen inside. We’ll let the cooperative extension service explain further: When you see a small hole in the side of a bud or a disfigured blossom, remove it and check the stem. If there is no sign of passage, then you have it. Carefully break the bud or blossom apart, look for the maggot and destroy it. You can also put them into a zip lock bag for destruction. If the stem shows sign of passage, then the maggot has gone down the stem to change into the fly. Another good way to control an out break of the Orthacheta Bud Fly is to spray with a systemic when the buds have formed, this can be done when spraying for iris borers. Consult a local nursery for the proper systemic.
Iris stalks falling over
We have several beds of irises, and each year when they bloom, some fall over and lay on the ground. What do we need to prevent this happening?
falling irises
It turns out that there may be several reasons for irises falling over:
• the rhizome or toe of the plant may be deep enough
• the rhizomes may need to be divided (do it at the end of July or beginning of August)
• they may be in the shade and be reaching for sunshine, on weak stems due to lack of sunshine
• they may be over fertilized with a high-nitrogen product
• if none of those ideas apply, you can brace the plants with purchased metal supports (similar to tomato or peony cages) with one steel/metal stem support and a loop (to encircle the flower) at the top.
Pests
I have heard that critters can dig up bulbs for food. Is there anything I can do to lessen the possibility until my flowers are established?
Voles eating iris bulbs - how to prevent or greatly discourage
I am piggybacking to Frankie's question on 5/16/19 about iris-bulb-eating critters (animals). This is a serious problem in my iris garden where voles are the culprits. Below ground, they gnaw off the bottoms of the bulbs. A cat would certainly help, but the cat option is not a possibility for me. What are some ways to keep the voles from the iris?
Round-up---will it "kill" irises. I have a bed where they are
I have a bed where they are growing beautifully----problem IS- I have a plant called "camilion plant" (it's colorful but very annoring that ' s spreading EVERYWHERE , even into the grass nearby dispite the edging in place. Please advise..... I've tried digging it up by the roots last year---that
doesn't work, IT keeps coming back in abundance, and SPREADING!!!!!!
What can I do to get rid of this invasive plant.?????
Chameleon Plant
As you’ve seen, the dreaded chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata) is a very, very invasive plant. Unfortunately, other than repeatedly and diligently pulling up and disposing of the plant (in a fire or the trash; NOT in your compost pile!), there’s not much you can do to get rid of it. If grown in a container, it can be kept in check, but once it’s already got its roots in the ground, it will keep spreading.
We do not recommend using chemicals in this case—chameleon plants have been known to survive most herbicides, but using one will certainly damage the other plants in the bed (including irises).
Dutch Iris? Dividing
I have a small 10-12 inch tall iris clump that is heavily infested with grass. How do I best clean it up. I would post a picture, if possible.
Cat litter on iris
I read somewhere that cat litter is good for irises. ??
Cat Litter for Irises
Hi Patrice,
There is some discussion about certain types of clay-based cat litter that can be used to plant irises in water (such as a backyard pond), but we wouldn’t recommend using cat litter on irises. Cat litter is highly absorbent and would most likely absorb all of the water around the plant’s roots, which would be harmful. We hope this helps!
Pages