When you mention the word Iris, most folks picture the German bearded iris but there are many different types of Iris, up to 300 in the species genus. They are in the Iridaceous family and popular in perennial beds. The flowers have both ‘falls’ and ‘standards’ with the falls being the three petals curved downwards and the standards the three petals pointing upward. The beard of the bearded iris is the yellow fuzzy patch at the base of each falls petal. The less popular crested iris has a crest or raised ridge in the same spot as the beard but it is not fuzzy. If your iris has neither a beard nor a crest it is a beardless iris. Their color and aroma attract butterflies and hummingbirds.
Named after a Greek goddess who rode rainbows, iris come in a wide range of color and color combinations but various shades of purple predominate. The reticulata iris blooms early in the spring followed by the bearded iris, then the Dutch iris and finally the beardless iris. They start as either bulbs or, more often, rhizomes which need to be separated and replanted every few years to avoid overcrowding and to keep the plant healthy. I will leave you to watch a YouTube video for the proper procedure to separate and plant iris rhizomes. They should be planted in the fall when temperatures remain between 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit which allows for establishment prior to winter. They prefer fertile, neutral to slightly acidic soil with good drainage and like wet feet and dry knees so plant accordingly. After blooming, cut the flower stems down at the base but not the leaves which are still carrying out photosynthesis for the next season. Leaves can be cut down after the first freeze.
A nearby lake resident has become an iris propagator and his large flower bed is a sight to behold during their blooming season. A retired biologist educator by trade, he takes a scientific approach that produces tall robust flowers. He has a pile of discards most folks would love to have in their garden but he won’t let you have them as he says they “aren’t good enough,” whatever that means. He does gift his “better rhizomes” to friends and neighbors if you are so lucky. I am hoping for a peach/coral colored addition to my bed this year. One of his iris’s blooming in my perennial bed right now was so tall and heavy it tipped over so I brought it in the house to enjoy. I am glad I brought a few more indoors yesterday as I think the heat and wind did them in out over the weekend. Oh well, to everything there is a season!