Bearded Iris
Bearded Iris ( Iris germanica)
The tall sturdy flower stem can reach up to twenty eight inches or more. The flowers look like delicate crepe paper and velveteen surrounded by sword like blue green leaves. Its fragrance hints of lilac and candy. This poor man’ s orchid comes in a kaleidoscope colors which is why irises were named after the Greek goddess Iris goddess of the rainbow. From a historical point of view, the tall bearded iris goes back twenty or more generations from a gene pool of ten species of Old World and Mediterranean iris. The fleur-de-lis design used on the French royal standard was modeled after the iris. Today’s hybrids comprise of approximately two hundred species. They bloom longer and some cultivars bloom twice per season.
The bearded iris blossom is made up of three upright petals called the standards and three drooping petals called falls. The beard refers to the velvet strip inside the flower.
Planting
Plant the rhizomes in full sun and well- drained fertile soil. Avoid clay soil, a wet soil can lead to rot as well as invite other problems such as iris borer.
The best time to plant bearded iris in mid-July through September and in areas with hot summers and mild winters, September/ October. You can also plant them in the spring. Place the rhizome tops even with the soil surface 12 to 24″ apart with the growing tips pointing outward of the circle or triangle .
Keep the beds clean and free of weeds.
Divide and transplant
Iris should be divided every 3-5 years right after bloom in July/Sept. A crowded bed will reduce bloom as well as invite diseases. When digging up and dividing, be carefull not to damage the rhizome and check for soft, soggy spots (bacterial soft rot).
How to divide
Dig under a clump of rhizomes and lift out the whole clump. Wash away the soil and inspect them for any pinholes or soft spots. Remove and discard any diseased rhizomes. Cut each rhizome with a sharp knife making sure each division has at least a fan of leaves and roots (about 3-4″). Before replanting, cut back the leaves to 1/3 of their full height and replant them the same way they were planted. Spread the roots facing downward into the soil and cover with soil , then press firmly in place making sure your rhizome is at soil level or slightly above. Water in thoroughly. Plant a least 3 rhizomes in a triangle or an alternating row pattern; pointing the fan of leaves away from each other. Plant 18-24 inches apart. Closer planting (10-12″) will fill in quicker but will have to be divided more often. Give or exchange the extra bulbs with your friends or neighbors to enjoy.
After transplanting, bearded iris need time to establish a root system before freezing weather sets in. Make sure they get enough moisture and after the soil freezes add 3-4 inches of mulch (straw, pine needles, evergreens) to protect the roots from heaving and freezing temperatures. Mulching is also recommended for newly planted rhizomes. Remove the mulch in early Spring.
Buy a:
No related posts.
I cannot find any information on deadheading my Iris. Do I just pluck out the old bloom or break it off at the stem or just leave it alone. I am not very knowledgabe about flowers so my jargon is lacking. There is a small swollen area below the bloom. If I deadhead, do I break the stem above or below this? Is there a time frame after the blooms die in which to do this? I hope you can understand what I am talking about. Thanks, Leo
Color Change
My hybrid bearded iris is 13 years old; why is it now changing to lighter colors
bill schlosser
I have several starter plant of bearded iris. Several people said that if i plant them too close they will all fade and become one color. Is this true?
I have bearded Iris that are quite big, some bloom, some don’t – then I have the regular beared Iris (I think) that usually blooms purple/blue color. However, this year they ALL bloomed white. Any reasons anyone can tell me.
Thanks, Glenda
what kind of soil do iris like…acid or alkaline?
Iris thrips
My Bearded Iris have flowers that are deformed and appear to be rotting. This occurrs side by side with beautiful healthy blooms. The plants appear healthy and do not appear to have any signs of iris boroer damage. What is cauisng this? I read it may be aphids but see no sign of them, are they
hard to see?
My purple iris have not grown as tall and the blooms are misshapen. Some of the buds are not even openingl. I noticed very small greyish crawly insects as I pulled back the last leaf that the bud emerges from. I’m not sure what these are and would like to know how what to use to kill them before they spread to the neighboring yellow iris which is blooming beautifully.
Elaine Slupe
When do you cut a iris plant back? Or do you?
SEED PODS
Bearded Iris- I have pods (I think that is what you would call them) that grow where the bloom was. Can these be planted to make more irises? Do I need to open and dry the seed inside? Help? I also get these on my daylilies and want to know what to do with them.
I have bed full of old bearded Iris (a Deep Purple with white center), that were given to me by a friend. My Grandmother had beds around her entire house with nothing but iris all labled with their names. However, this particular Iris has something that I have never seen before. After blooming, hudge blooms and about six to one stalk (several that come from the same pod or at least appear to), it forms something that looks like a seed pod and is about the size of a small cucumber. What is this and should I just cut it off?
Thanks, J. Kuettel
Transplanting Iris
I have MANY older Iris plants that need to be transplanted now to make way for a new driveway. What is the best procedure?
Karen
I divided last spring not the best time but did it….many plants do NOT have any flower blooms just the green, while others do? it doesn’t appear to be related to area planted, because some areas of replants have blooms, while some within same area do nOT…dissappointed but await with hope.
Mary
I just planted some bearded iris and some of the buds are drooping over. There are more buds coming but I am worried they are going to droop too. The leaves are green. Any advice?
Gary ( jenni1@bellsouth.net / )
Having dug up to separate plants, which did not bloom well this past season, how much of the rhizome must I cut off? Do you cut it with a knife or snap it off in your hands?
Not blooming
My iris did not bloom this year and I would like to cut them back now. Will that be ok? Also can I put mulch on them?
penny prouty
why have my iris never bloomed. the leaves have come up and been up for 18 months, no blooms!?
IRIS LEAF SPOT DISEASE
I had to replant my bearded iris’s last July, I used bulb food before replanting. This spring the leaves are brown on ends and have brown spots on the whole leaf. What did/am I doing wrong?
IRIS BORER
My iris bloomed beautifully this year. while weeding the bed I notices some leave brown all the way down and mushy. Also the tip on some are turning brown. There are no “spots” as noted in the notes above, but turning dried brown sometimes 2 inches to 4-5 inches down. What is it and what should I do? Thank you
RITA ANDERSON
WHY ARE MY IRISES TURNING ALL BROWN AND DRYED UP LOOKING? WHAT CAN I DO FOR THEM?
STORING IRIS IN WINTER
We are moving in the middle of winter. I would like to take some favorite iris with me. If I dig them up before frost, what can I do to keep the plants healthy until the spring when I can replant them. I live in the northeast mountains where spring comes late.
How do I store Bearded Iris Rhizomes over the winter in updtate NY?
Shannon ( shannonchau@hotmail.com / )
My friend gave me some beared iris in early May. The ground isn’t ready to plant them until next fall, so they are in flower pots now. I live in Minnesota. Pls advise what should I do to them during winter to make sure they will come back next spring. Should I just leave the iris in the pots and store them in the basement and not water them during winter?
I have found that some of my iris product short stunted deformed flowerheads that barely rise above the tuber, other iris in the same bed flower fine. What could be causing this problem? Thanks.
It’s possible the either insect or mechanical injury caused damage to the growing point on the iris resulting in distorted growth.
GROWING IRIS FROM SEED
Where, when, and how deep do I need to plant the ripened iris seeds?
MULCHING IRIS
I live in central Iowa and in late September I planted iris bulbs and mulched them. We’ve had a pretty mild fall and I noted that my bulbs have sprouted through. Is there something that I need to do to protect them through the winter?
Allison
do i need to do anything to my iris’ to keep them safe over winter? Do i need to cut back the foliage at all? Some are single bloom while others are reblooming iris’
DROOPING/FALLING OVER IRIS
My bearded iris blooms well in the spring and has healthy leaves. My only problem is that the stems require support stakes or they fall over. That’s a lot of work and I have not noticed anyone else having to stake irises. Please help!
Sheryl ( Rloveless@NYCAP.RR.com / )
I planted two bearded iris bulbs two years ago. They came up beautifully each year, except this year they are all drooping to the point that they are actually laying down on the ground. They have plenty of sun, and I water them regularly. What would cause this, and how do I fix it? They are to lovely to lay on the ground. Thank you so much.
FERTILIZING IRIS
My front yard is full of iris, these plants have been for many years. Is there anything I can feed them to get a healthy bloom. Thanks
I have dug up , separated and trimmed my iris. Is there a special plant food or other chemical I should prepare the soil with before replanting?
APHIDS ON IRIS
I have a scale or aphid like infestation on my Iris leaves. It is some kind of bug. I rubbed it off on leaf and looked like aphids, but doesn’t look like any aphid I have seen. Any help to get rid of this or what it is would be appreciated.
charisse
I started a iris garden about a year ago. Now I noticed that I have these little white bugs on my plants. They crawl around like spiders. They seem to be mostly in the “Y” part of the plant where leaves or stalks for the flowers come off? Can you tell me how to treat these bugs? Will they infest my entire bed?
DIVIDING IRIS
We bought our home in Spring of 2006. The previous owners had made a beautiful hybrid bearded Iris bed in the shape of an island on one side of the driveway which faces west. The blooms were just terrific that year and this year. The blooms lasted about a month or so, then were all done blooming. I have noticed that the bulbs seem to be mostly above the ground and very, very close together. What do I do with them now(mid August,2007). I have been cutting the leaves off at the ground level, but I have read that I should not be doing this. I think most of the bulbs have been there for at least 10+ years. I have no idea on how to “divide” them. Do I throw away bulbs that I don’t want? I truly need your help in this matter. Thanks. S. Corey, Chicago suburb
we moved into our new home last sept and there is a large circle of really small iris but only a few of them came up, how do i make them fill in? thanks
I would like to know what the gestation period is for Iris bulbs? I planted 6 Iris bulbs, outdoors, in a large pot, back in late October. It’s now the end of April and I haven’t seen any signs of growth. I’ve followed all of the planting instructions and make sure that they get plenty of sunlight and water. Could you tell me when I should see the first signs and if you think there is a possibility they’ll bloom this year?
I have 2 iris beds growing, they are 3 years old, very healthy, one side has buds. Tonight we have a frost coming ,in I live I think in zone 5 or 6, upstate New york, Orange County. Should I cover them and if so with what?
I have many Iris beds around my house. All the plants have flowers but the leaves are yellow or are turning yellow. We do have drip irriagtion in all beds. No bugs have been seen. What is causing the leaves to yellow?
Is it ok to mulch around Iris?
I am in the process of dividing several patches of iris; however, some of the patches had been mixed in color, and I would prefer to put them back in clumps of the same color. Is there any way to tell from the leaves what the color the bloom will be? In this particular case, the iris are, if I remember correctly, entirely white, white w/purple falls or entirely purple. Some of the leaves are a reddish-purple at the bottom, just above the rhizome, so is that indicative of a purple bloom?
Hi there. I have read the bearded iris posts and don’t see my question, which is pretty specific: It is now mid September here in coastal SE Connecticut. I am planning to move to the Dallas area in a couple of months. At present, I am waiting for my iris to yellow before digging them up. When is the right time for me to replant them down in Texas? I will be shipping them with everything else so won’t have immediate access (or time!) for them. Thank you.
STORING IRIS IN WINTER
I was given some iris, and it took me longer to get the area that I was working on ready it is now mid Oct and I live in Maquoketa, Iowa. Can I put them in the ground or do I need to store them for the winter. I was given some really beautiful colors and really want to put them in the ground!
We live in Northern California, elevation just under 3,000 feet. Because our Irises didn’t flower much this past spring, the second week of December we dug ‘em up and placed in buckets. That was about 3 weeks ago. Now what?? Can I re-plant now in December (we recently had… and may still get… a bit of snow)?? If NO to re-planting now, how do we keep the rhizomes healthy in the meantime?? And WHEN should we re-plant?? Thanks!!
I was given some 20 yr old iris bulbs, after winter set in. I put them in pots and put them in a cool place. They are coming up-what should I do to them now?
I have transplanted my iris from a shady location to a sunny one. I transplanted them in the spring which i’m told mas not the right choice. the leaves are above ground and are now drooping. Is there anything I can do to save them? also i may have put to many in the bed thus overcrowing them. Should I transplant again in late summer? I live in zone 7/8. Please help I love irises and would hate to think i was the cause of the demise of my irises.
See comments on Transplanting iris on 6/7/2005 Jone D.
I was wanting to know if it would be ok to plant bearded Iris around the deck of my above ground pool? My concern is that the clorine in the water may kill them! Any Advice would be gratefuly appreciated.
Powdery mildew
I have lots of iris’s and right now they have white spots that look like powder on the the leaves. Some type of fungus im sure. Could you tell what causes this and how to take care of it.
One more question….I recieved a shipment of iris’s friday and my husband is the person that does all the planting and he planted the new iris’s that came in is that a no no?
I have several varieties of beautiful bearded iris in the large rock garden at the entrance to our property. There are numerous other flowering perennials and small shrubs in the garden also. As the irises grow (2 yrs. now) they are very showy in spring, and some are twice blooming in fall, but their foliage is taking up a lot of space! Should I remove all of them to another location, or let them stay mixed with other plants? I have never grown irises before, and am not sure of their favorite growing habit. Also, can I cut some of the foliage back without sacrificing next year’s bloom?
I don’t currently have another location that is cultivated for them, but want to do the best thing long-term for all the plants.
Thanks so much!
I planted Iris 2 years ago in the summer I think I planted them to deep as they come up nicely but they never bloom.When and how do I fix this problem,
can I send you a picture of my problem–based on the comments I have read concern browning and yellowing leaves–it sounds like I have borers, eye spot, over crowding–in effect the works — the iris bed is well over 5 years old and the blooms were beautiful this year as usual– however, with all the rain we have been having many of the leaves are turning brown, starting at the tips and eventually distroyng the whole leaf–looks like a dried tobacco leaf-brown and wrinkled. Any and all suggestions will be welcomed–including starting from scratch — interested in which chemicals, when to do what-etc.
Seed pods
What are the pods that grow on the end of the flower stalk?
I have problems with grass and weeds growing in my iris beds. Can I spray with roundup or weed spray without hurting my iris blades?
Yellow Leaves. Around July 12, I planted a bearded iris plant that had green leaves. It is now July 23, and some of the leaves are yellow, and they are looking very droopy. We have had a lot of rain recently. Question 1: Is there something I should do to help the plant? Question 2: When you plant in July, do you have to wait until the next year to get blooms?
Not blooming
What would make an entire stand of iris NOT bloom for two years in a row? Plants have been pruned and watered as required.
I super clay soil here in the Northeast Georgia area. I have been an Iris fanatic since my early gardening years. I have learned many tips and tricks to keep your flowers beautiful all season long.
1. Even though the packaging says “full sun” you may want to plant these is areas where they will get the bulk of the day’s sun, but also have some shade.
2. Use your coffee grounds / tea leaves as food for your Iris’. Mine LOVE it! I get blooms the size of salad plates when I remember to do all the beds. (You can get both at your local Starbucks or coffee house, call first).
3. Over crowded beds make great cash in Spring! Remove your eyes, thin out the bed and set aside. Re-mulch your bed and add new topsoil so all Rhizomes are covered. Make sure you separate out each one and put them in a bag that is well marked.
4. Take the thinned out iris’ and check them over, look for worm holes, bug infestations etc. The white film /powder on the leaves is most likely Mildew, no worries, wash them off before you put them aside for winter.
5. Go to your local farm and feed store, buy a small bag of sulfur. When you have washed your iris’ and set them to dry a couple of days on a paper towel or newspaper, you’ll be ready to dust and store.
6. Use an old flour sifter for this job! Wear a face mask & protective eye wear too.
Use newspaper as the catch for the sulfur dust. When you’re coating these Rhizomes, make sure you give them a general to moderate coating, depending on the size of the Rhizomes.
7. Store in a cool dry place. If it freezes where you live, keep them inside in the laundry room. If you don’t get a super cold winter, store them for 3 months in the fridge in the garage if you have one. If not, seal the Rhizomes in a plastic bag, place on bottom shelf of fridge and forget about them.
(Are you like me & save your flower pots from the nurseries? Step 8 is for you!)
8. At the first sign of spring, fill your reserved nursery flower pots with good soil, mix up some root out and be ready to go. Rinse and dry your sulfur Rhizomes. If you want to you can let them dry out for a few hours, then plant in the pots.
9. Water with a little miracle grow – 1/8th of a teaspoon in a 1 gallon jug. You don’t want to shock them, but let them gently know there is food available.
10. Label and Tag the pots from the information on the bag you have from early fall.
11. Take your pots to the local Farmer’s Market. You can get anywhere from $4.50 an eye to $139.00 an eye, depending on the color, age and size.
eye = is the same as Rhizomes.
Traditionally called “flags” in Eastern Ky.
The French used the Iris for the Fleur-DE-Elise” Symbol!
Gotta love Iris’!
Thank you for this site and info. I am a new gardner and have a iris that hasn’t bloomed? I now have the info that may just give me blooms. Thanks I will let you know if I get blooms.
Tall iris stems
Hi, I am new to the game of managing iris, and we are having a very, very wet June to this point. Many of the flower stalks are lying down after it rains. I go out and shake them off and then remove any dead blooms, and as my final act of gardening for the afternoon I work to stake or stand them back up. I don’t remember them being this tall last year, or their falling over. My husband admitted to putting miracle grow on them and the lilies and now the plants are out of proportion for where they were planted.
Please advise…..I will be hiding the miracle grow from hubby…..and I am hoping to not have to buy little umbrellas for the Iris so they can survive some healthy Seattle spring rain.
Hi Penny –
I am hoping to not have to buy little umbrellas for the Iris so they can survive some healthy Seattle spring rain.
*** When I lived in La Conner, WA we had similar issues. I used to break the stems off (for lack of a cutting tool) and take them inside to bloom out. The miracle grow is a good “flavor” for the eyes, as they need a good food to help them maintain themselves in the wetter climate.
I have found planting the ever present Alderwood trees near the iris’s helps protect them from the downpours we get and the tent worms go to the trees and not the bulbs!
There is an iris society there in Seattle, they meet every June. Check with the Chamber to see when they connect this year.