Scientific Name:
Iris
x
germanica
Pronunciation:
EYE-riss
Common Name:
German iris, bearded iris
Family Name:
Iridaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial
Key ID Features:
Rhizomes often partially aboove soil surface, most 5-15cm long x 1-3cm wide; leaves basal, fan-like, stiffly upright, sword-shaped, often curved, 30-90cm long x 2-4cm wide, base sheathing; flowers 10-15cm wide, petal like sepals or the "falls" are 7-12cm long x 4-6cm wide and have prominent veining on either side of a central "beard", the petals or the "standards" are 7-10cm long x 3-5cm wide.
Habit:
Stiffly upright
Form:
Vase
Texture:
Coarse
Mature Height:
0.7 - 1.3m
Mature Spread:
0.3 - 0.6m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Europe, Garden origin (I. pallida x I. variegata)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun
Soil/Growing Medium:
Well-drained
Landscape Uses:
Perennial border, Summer interest
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Leathery
Surfaces:
Glabrous
Shapes:
Falcate, Linear
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Sheathing
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Raceme, Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
3
Corolla Shape:
Ligulate
Ovary Position:
Inferior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Yellow, Blue, Violet, Purple (Also many bi-coloured cvs.)
Flower Scent:
Fragrant, Sweet
Flower Time at Peak:
Apr, May, Jun
Additional Info:
The outer petal-like sepals (called falls) are broad, bearded, and spread out; three inner petals (called standards) that are typically more upright; the three stigma branches also appear petal-like
Fruit Type:
Capsule, Aborted (hybrids) or absent
Fruit Colour:
Green, Brown
Fruiting Time:
Jul, Aug
Additional Info:
Fruit insignificant
Bark or Stem Colour:
n/a
Organ Modifications:
Rhizomes
Maintenance:
Low
Other:
Control spread by digging up every vew years and replanting
Pest Susceptibility:
(Deer resistant, Rabbit resistant, Drought tolerant)
Course(s):
- CLT Training
- HORT 1193/1293
- HORT 2355
Location(s):
- (GAZ) GAZebo
- (GAZN) GAZebo North
- (PDW) PonD West
- (WDH) Wark-Dumais House