Irises continue to be an old time favourite perennial. The bearded iris varieties and the Siberian iris varieties both do very well in our Northern climate. They are hardy, deer resistant, drought tolerant and easy to grow. Even when not in bloom the iris plant is an attractive perennial in the flower beds. The bearded iris have broad, flat, sword like leaves while the Siberian iris have thinner leaves, similar to an ornamental grass.
Although the foliage is attractive, it is the flowers that make irises so popular. Bearded iris have a larger flower. The flowers consist six petals,three upright petals, called standards and three petals facing down called the falls. The falls are fuzzy and resemble a beard, which is where the name Bearded Iris comes from. The flowers come in a wide range of colours and colour combinations. Siberian iris flowers are similar to the bearded iris except slightly smaller and more delicate looking. A seed pod will form where the finished flower was on Siberian iris. The seed pod can be used in floral arrangements. It is best to remove the seedpod as it will take energy away from the plant and it also will re-seed creating lots of little iris seedlings next year. Irises do not bloom for a long period of time, but if you plan it right you can have iris blooms in the landscape for a few weeks. The Bearded iris bloom first in late June and the Siberian iris bloom in early/mid July.
Bearded irises are grown from rhizomes. Rhizomes are available in the spring or you can purchase a bearded iris plant. Plant bearded iris in an area where it will receive full sun. The planting site should have good drainage as soil that is kept too wet will cause the rhizomes to rot. When planting a bearded iris, plant it at the same depth that it was in the pot. If you are planting just a rhizome, do not plant it too deep. Plant a rhizome on its side and barely cover it. They prefer to have the top of the rhizome slightly exposed as this will allow the sun to keep it dry. Also, allow the iris good air circulation by not planting other plants too close to it. Irises spread out over the years and eventually the centre will die out. Every 3-4 years iris plants should be dug up, divided and replanted. Do this after they have finished blooming. Only replant the healthy rhizomes, and toss out any rhizomes that are soft, and mushy. Trim back the foliage when replanting.
Siberian iris do best in full sun to partial shade. They tolerate wet conditions very well and prefer not to go too dry. They are less maintenance then the bearded iris as they only need to be divided every 8-10 years because they are slower growing.
Iris are a low maintenance perennial that will give years of enjoyment. There are very few flowers that can rival the beauty of an iris. They are beautiful in the landscape and also make nice cut flowers.
