IRIS for every garden

No matter where you live, you can grow these easy pass-along plants.

The first time you saw an iris bloom, it might have tickled your nose with its fuzzy beard as you bent down to inhale its sweet perfume. This experience could have taken place in your parents' or even your grandparents' yard. These commonly grown spring beauties are the classic pass-along plants. They're often shared among family and friends because they multiply readily, need little care, and are loved by everyone.

Pick One (or More)

There are many types of iris in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Members of this diverse family of plants have different growing requirements. Some thrive in hot, sunny, dry sites, while others do just fine in damp, shady bogs. All iris have flattened swordlike foliage and produce those gorgeous flowers we adore. Choose the one that best fits your needs, and watch it prosper in your garden.

Bearded Iris

In mid- to late-spring, bearded iris produce large showy blooms. On the lower three petals, they sport a fuzzy beard, hence the name. These hybrids range in color from blue, brown, and pink to purple, white, and yellow. Some of the blooms are bicolored, and some have intricate venation that streaks through their petals. Many have been bred for giant blooms and exotic colors. These showy selections may look great, but they require a little more attention. For the average homeowner who wants a no-fuss iris, tried-and-true plants such as 'Arctic Fury' (white), 'Beverly Sills' (pink), 'Carolina Gold' (yellow), or 'Honky Tonk Blues' (blue) do well.

Bearded iris range in size from the 4-inch miniatures to taller ones that reach 40 inches high. The lower growing selections work well in rock gardens, containers, and the front of flower borders. Taller ones can be planted en masse in the landscape like small shrubs. They also look great in the back of borders. Even when they aren't in bloom, their spiky foliage adds striking texture.

The bearded selections like full sun. They grow fine in light shade, but blooms will be sparse. Bearded iris need well-drained soil and are surprisingly drought tolerant once established. Preferring cool winters, they do not thrive in the Coastal South. If you live there, try Iris albicans, also called cemetery white or white flag iris. Early purple is another extremely hardy heirloom that will take the heat.

Plant in fertile, well-drained soil. If your soil is poor (sandy or clay), work organic matter such as peat, leaf mold, mushroom compost, or manure 10 to 12 inches into the soil. When setting out plants, never cover the rhizomes completely. Only cover the lower half and the bottom feeder roots.

Where iris are happy, they will multiply. Plants should be divided every four years. Once they are through blooming, lift the whole clump with a garden fork. Then shake away the soil, and divide the rhizomes. Replant the new rhizomes that have foliage and lots of feeder roots.

Japanese Iris

Lovely Japanese iris (I. ensata) are not as well-known as bearded iris, but their flowers are stunning. The enormous, flat blooms look like giant butterflies perched on slender 3- to 4-foot-tall stems. Their colors include white, many shades of blue, purple, and also red. Some are bicolored and truly spectacular. They typically flower after the bearded iris, so they can extend your garden's beauty.

Japanese iris need at least six hours of sun daily and prefer it to be damp because their roots need constant moisture. Plants will become stunted and produce small blooms if they don't receive enough water. Set them out along the edge of a pond, where their roots will stay wet and their blooms will reflect in the water. They also thrive in bogs, drainage ditches, or any low-lying area that stays damp. Japanese iris don't like to be moved. If left undisturbed, they will fill your garden with many blooms each year.

Japanese Roof Iris

Handsome and compact, Japanese roof iris (I. tectorum) come in lilac blue and snow white. They have light green, foot-long leaves that grow in neat, fanned clumps. These iris thrive in partial shade and will grow in full sun. In shady areas, combine them with hostas and ferns. Japanese roof iris work well in the front of a border or sprinkled in a rock garden. They like rich soil that is high in organic matter. In areas where the soil is fertile and loose, they will spread quickly. You can also collect their seeds in late summer and direct sow them in the garden.

Louisiana Iris

Like Japanese iris, they thrive in moist soil, but Louisianas aren't quite as picky and also will grow in well-drained soil. Many of these hybrids bloom in early spring, and some flower from mid- to late-spring on 3- to 4-foot stems. They come in a rainbow of colors, including violet, blue, purple, pink, magenta, red, and orange.

The Louisianas are probably the most versatile iris. They will grow happily in a low-lying landscape or in a mountain garden. These native iris flourish in the heat of the Coastal South and tolerate the Upper South's cold. They prefer a half-day of sun and acid soil, and they work well planted next to azaleas, camellias, or rhododendrons.