Low growing irises variety. Dwarf bearded irises. Standard and miniature

These flowers attract gardeners and specialists in the design of gardens and dachas with their exquisite beauty, variety of shapes and colors. And even despite the rather limited flowering period, bearded irises have long been favorites in landscape design.

However, not all plants of this species can boast of this status. Dwarf bearded irises, unfortunately, are undeservedly deprived of attention today. And it’s completely in vain: these flowers may well give a head start to their taller counterparts, since they can be used not only in flower beds and flower beds, they look great in rock gardens and as a potted plant.

Dwarf irises: description

These amazing plants their height does not exceed forty centimeters, although often these crops reach only twenty centimeters. Despite these rather modest sizes, their flowers are as large and bright as those of traditional types. And they are not deprived of a variety of shapes and colors. And even the “beard” so beloved by gardeners abundant flowering they are not inferior to the tall representatives of the family.

As a rule, two or three flowers bloom on one peduncle, but big number flowering shoots compensates for the density of the bushes. The only difference between these plants is the height of the peduncles and leaves. This is, so to speak, a miniature copy of traditional species, but this does not at all affect the size of the flowers. But the endurance and unpretentiousness of dwarf irises is much more pronounced. Small bushes open up new and often unexpected possibilities in the design of gardens and cottages.

Experts divide all varieties of dwarf irises into two categories:

• standard dwarfs - Standard Dwarf Bearded;
• miniature dwarfs - Miniature Dwarf Bearded.

Advantages of dwarf varieties

If you are interested in low-growing varieties of irises (you can see the photo in this article), you should know about their advantages:

• Already in the second year, budding of dwarf irises begins, which allows short time arrange a beautiful flower bed;
• small bushes bloom two weeks earlier than their tall “relatives” and have many buds;
• Dwarf irises are distinguished not only by colorful inflorescences, but also by spectacular foliage, which does not lose its decorative effect throughout the season.

Popular varieties of dwarf irises

This variety of irises was cultivated recently, about a hundred years ago, but despite this, breeders now offer a huge number of varieties of these spectacular plants.

Wink

Iris dwarf white. Its inner petals are snow-white, and the lower lobes are bluish. The stem is 23 centimeters high; two buds measuring 5x9 cm appear on one peduncle.

Cry Baby

Irises are dwarf with large pale blue flowers. During flowering, the petals fade a little in the sun, becoming almost white. The stem reaches a height of twenty-eight centimeters and one or three beautiful buds appear on it.

Puppet

A magnificent lavender dwarf iris. Its petals have brown veins. The peduncle of this plant grows up to thirty centimeters and produces up to three buds measuring 5x11 cm.

Sapphire Gem

This dwarf iris, the photo of which we have posted below, has an exquisite deep blue color with a white groove on the petals. The buds are medium in size (6x10 cm), the stem is about thirty-five centimeters high. Up to four flowers bloom on one peduncle.

"Little Shadow"

The height of the bush can vary from 20 to 40 centimeters. Purple-blue velvety flowers open in May-June. The petals have a dark blue beard. This variety blooms again in August. Prefers well-drained garden soil. Dwarf iris "Little Shadow" does not tolerate stagnant moisture.

For active flowering it is necessary good lighting. In snowless, frosty winters, additional shelter is required. Used when decorating borders and mixborders.

Little Dream

A very delicate dwarf iris with rather large flowers (6.5x11.5 cm). The petals are soft lilac, the beard is blue. The stem grows up to 35 cm and produces up to three flowers.

"Cats Eye"

Iris with a very interesting color: dark pink petals with a large dark cherry spot. Plant height 30 cm. Leaves are broad-linear, bluish in color. When planting, the roots of this plant are slightly deeper and mulched on the surface.

The dwarf iris “cats eye” blooms in April-May, a little earlier than many species. It needs light soils rich in nutrients with a neutral reaction, sun and quiet places protected from the wind. Used to decorate terraces in spring, mainly planted in ceramic bowls.

Carats

The yellow dwarf iris of this variety attracts gardeners with the yellow-orange hue of its petals. The white beard acquires a reddish tint closer to the tips. This variety, created in 1994, is like a gold bar, filled with sunshine from the inside.

Growing irises

If you grew tall varieties of these plants on your site, then planting dwarf irises will not cause you any problems. First you need to select a site for planting. Dwarf varieties love space and sun; only if these conditions are met will they delight you with bright buds.

Create a flowerbed in the brightest and most open area where there are many sun rays during the whole day.

The soil

This culture loves breathable, nutritious and light soil. If the soil in your garden is not loose enough, we recommend mixing it with sand. For acidic soil you need alkaline substances: lime, ash, etc. Good drainage is required, which will not excess moisture stagnate in the soil and cause root rot.

Planting irises in the ground

Dwarf irises are planted in warm time year: from early April to mid-August. The advantage of these plants is that they tolerate any transplants well and take root quite quickly and easily in a new place. Having selected a site for planting, dig up the soil to a depth of about twenty-five centimeters and add potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen fertilizers to it. For one square meter there should be twenty grams of phosphorus and potassium and ten grams of nitrogen.

Before planting, iris cuttings should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate for two hours. This procedure will help reduce the risk various diseases. The seedlings are lowered into the hole so that the root collar is above the soil level. For the first five days, young plants are watered abundantly if the weather is very hot. Two to three hours after watering, the soil must be carefully loosened, being careful not to damage the roots.

The soil around the bushes can be mulched, but this must be done very carefully, given the fact that these plants do not like organic mulch, grass, tree bark and other materials plant origin. Coarse sand or small pebbles are more suitable for this purpose.

Caring for miniature irises

This unpretentious plants that do not require complex care. In the spring, they are fed with potassium-phosphorus compounds before budding. They will help the plants form large and beautiful buds. To stimulate flowering, you should use the following scheme:

• nitrogen-potassium fertilizers are applied in early spring;
• after twenty days, phosphorus and nitrogen are added to the soil;
• When the plants bloom, they will need mineral compounds.

During the season, it is necessary to cut off the faded buds, and when flowering is completed, the flower stalks are completely removed. At the very end of the season, irises are trimmed, cutting leaves to 10 cm. Approximately every four years, irises should be divided and replanted. To do this, first cut off the leaves at a level of seven centimeters from the soil surface, then dig up the roots and divide them into parts. It is important that at least one or two leaf rosettes remain on each fragment.

Propagation of irises: vegetative method

This is the easiest and most popular way to propagate irises. We talked about this procedure above. It can be done at any time, but it is better to do this after flowering has completed, when the plants enter a dormant period.

Kidney method

This is the second method of vegetative propagation. Each annual link of the root system has a spare bud, from which a new plant can grow in the future. Each fragment of the rhizome is carefully separated, disinfected with potassium permanganate and planted for growing. This method is advisable when it is necessary to obtain many new bushes from a small number of mother plants.

When propagated by the vegetative method, irises begin to bloom already at next year after planting, but provided that they were planted in July or early August.

Propagation by seeds

This method is used in cases where a gardener wants to cross varieties and grow new hybrids. Seeds are usually sown in the fall, immediately after harvest. planting material. Irises are sometimes sown in spring, but in this case it is necessary to stratify the grains. To do this, the grains are soaked in water for several hours, then mixed with coarse sand and put in the cold for two weeks.

Seeds sown in autumn are deepened two centimeters into the soil. In spring, the first shoots appear on the surface, but the plants usually germinate completely in the second year. Using this method of propagation, you will wait for flowering no earlier than three years after planting.

Irises in landscape design

IN flower arrangements and in flower beds, dwarf irises look great combined with plants that bloom in spring or summer. If we consider the first group, then tulips, daffodils, imperial hazel grouse or Pushkinia will be excellent neighbors for irises.

In rock gardens, these attractive low-growing flowers look harmonious next to rock alyssum, phlox, milkweed, and Caucasian rhizome. Small irises are also good in the rose garden, because in combination with the “queen of flowers” ​​this culture also looks very impressive.

If you decide to plant irises in rockeries or rock gardens, keep in mind that these plants need quite large space. Try not to plant ground cover and creeping crops next to them, which will simply “strangle” the beauty of the irises. These flowers are suitable for creating ridges and decorating borders. Luxurious buds look especially beautiful on stone fill, sand, small pebbles or other decorative mulch.

Often, dwarf irises are grown in vases and pots, in stone bowls and plant pots, as well as in other containers that are placed on personal plot, veranda, balcony. When planting irises in pots, ensure good drainage. Prefer containers with good drainage holes at the bottom. For the drainage layer, use expanded clay, broken brick, and small pebbles in a layer of at least five centimeters. It's important to cover drainage layer in any way non-woven material and only after that can the soil be filled in.

We told you about wonderful plants that will undoubtedly decorate any garden plot. They are unpretentious and at the same time very responsive to the attention and care of their owners.

This a most exciting activity, like floriculture, finds more and more fans every year. For many, growing flowers becomes a real hobby and for the sake of this activity they are ready to spend not only all their free time, but they also do not spare the plots of land that were intended for fruits and vegetables.

One can only envy such people. After all, their gardens look like paradise, thanks to the splendor of the lush flowering plants all kinds of shapes and colors.

A constantly blooming garden is a gardener's dream

Every novice gardener dreams of his garden blooming for as long as possible, delighting not only the owners with its beautiful appearance, but also everyone who looks at the plot, and causing envy among others. But inexperienced amateurs often encounter a situation when the plants they planted have already finished flowering, and summer varieties They haven't even picked any buds yet.

This happens when correct selection flower crops no attention was paid, only prestigious plants were selected. After such a situation arose, many begin to think about how to fill this gap formed in the flowering of the garden. The most excellent solution in this case would be the dwarf iris, an excellent crop of the iris family, which, unfortunately, is still little known.

Benefits of Dwarf Irises

Almost everyone, when talking about irises, immediately imagines that they bloom in the summer, in June. But this variety of this family is a rhizomatous species, and I would like to introduce flower growers to the bulbous variety, real little ones, whose height does not exceed 15 cm. They appear above the ground in early April, and in May they already bloom wildly.

Therefore, the iris is dwarf and can give the garden such a heavenly look. After all, grass is just beginning to emerge from the ground, and here is such truly unreal splendor! You immediately get the feeling that those irises that are familiar and familiar to everyone have had their flowers broken off and stuck into the ground.

Don’t hesitate, set aside a place on your site for this magnificent plant, plant it once and believe me, you will never regret it! If anyone still has doubts about the attractiveness that the dwarf iris represents for any garden, a photo of this plant, which can be found in gardening reference books, will completely dispel them.

Dwarf type of irises: useful information

This very small plant, which belongs to the iris family, has some general information about itself. Any gardener should know them before planting. Thanks to the fact that in various sources for such beautiful plants as the dwarf iris, the most complete description is provided; anyone can choose a place for them in the garden, where they will emphasize all the splendor of the thoughtful design of the site, and will not get lost among the rest of the variety of planted plants. These include the following:

Thanks to these general information About a plant, any gardener has a great opportunity to choose a corner for it in which it would look even more attractive.

Dwarf iris - a magnificent creation of breeders

Where did this plant come from and why do many gardeners not know about it? This plant species is quite young by their standards. Just 60 years ago, the attention of breeders was drawn to the dwarf iris, after which hybridization programs began with the goal of achieving best qualities this plant by crossing it with bearded irises big size. As a result of this, the world saw 2 groups, which are represented by hybrid varieties.

The first category includes standard dwarfs. This is the largest group of low-growing plants, and also the most popular among connoisseurs of these plants. Their peduncles have from 2 to 6 flowers.

The second hybrid group is miniature dwarfs. The height of this species of dwarf iris does not reach 20 cm. These plants are suitable for rocky hills and rockeries, adding amazing colors to landscapes.

The best varieties for a gardener

Almost everyone who has ever seen dwarf irises in person or in photographs that captured the moment of flowering of these magnificent plants sets the goal of growing this splendor in their garden. But which variety to choose so that it meets all the requirements and brings joy?

Among the variety of plants of the iris family, dwarf irises have the greatest advantage for gardeners. Their varieties, which are most popular among lovers of exotic flowers, are represented by two types: reticulated iris and Danford iris. They have rightfully earned the title of “ small miracle spring." After all, it is these varieties that open the flowering period of all other types of irises.

Bearded dwarf irises

This variety is an exact copy, made in miniature, of their tall counterparts. Dwarf bearded irises will begin to delight with their beauty anyone who has chosen this variety for their site already in the month of May. And even after the flowering period ends, the green of their leaves will remain bright green until autumn, which makes them unlike their tall counterparts.

All varieties of dwarf bearded irises can be called a masterpiece, because they were created using, so to speak, truly handmade. The union of man with nature allowed the world to see this magnificent plant, bred through artificial pollination. Thanks to long-term selection work, dwarf irises have acquired another remarkable quality - planting and caring for them will not create any problems even for novice gardeners.

The splendor of bearded irises

These flowers are beautiful in their appearance. Most modern varieties have not only a wonderful pattern created by nature together with man from different color strokes that transform into each other and complex combinations of colors, but also the specific texture that is inherent in their petals.

Thanks to this, wonderful visual effects are created, which give varieties with dark colors a velvety depth, and pastel ones - a waxy translucency or matte alabaster. Also among them there are varieties coated with diamond, which sparkle brightly in the sun and shimmer mysteriously in the summer twilight.

Nuances used in planting and care

Among the knowledge that gardeners need about dwarf plants, they are in first place. Anyone who is thinking about any new plant for their garden will first of all try to obtain such information in order to correctly understand the entire scope of the upcoming work.

Dwarf irises have taken a leading position in this matter as well. They are quite unpretentious and do not require any special care. The only main thing is that the soil should be relatively dry in the summer months.

We are already accustomed to the fact that in our gardens the pause between early spring and summer flowers is successfully filled by bearded irises. But among them there is a group of short people who have many advantages. They are frost-resistant, beautiful, compact, and go well with ground cover and alpine plants. These are bearded dwarfs.

LET'S GET ACQUAINTED

Depending on the height of the peduncle and some other characteristics, two groups of low-growing bearded irises are distinguished: miniature dwarfs, with peduncles up to 25 cm high, each with 1-2 flowers, and standard dwarfs, the height of their peduncle is from 25 to 37 cm, on each with 2-3 flowers. The flower size of dwarf irises usually does not exceed 5-7 cm in height and 9-12 cm in the span of the lower lobes near the flower bed.

The first dwarf varieties of irises were bred in late XIX century in a German gardening company. Soon other German, as well as French and English companies developed new varieties of dwarf irises. Low-growing European species were used as parent forms: squat iris and dwarf iris.

Dwarf irises bloom about two weeks earlier than tall ones. bearded varieties, they fit well into any garden and look more natural in it.

Currently, numerous varieties of dwarf irises display the entire gamut of colors inherent in varieties of bearded irises, which allows us to create all kinds of compositions in our flower beds. Dwarfs combine beautifully even with the most extreme contrasts. Pure white, blue, purple, pink, burgundy, yellow, with spots, with different colored beards, etc.

After flowering, dwarf irises remain decorative throughout the season, so they are appropriate in rockeries and on alpine slide, retaining wall, V natural gardens and mixborders, in the border along the paths. When selecting partners for dwarf irises, in addition to what is expected decorative effect depending on the color and texture of the leaves, it is necessary to take into account some environmental and biological factors.

First of all, partners of dwarf irises must have the same requirements for conditions external environment. And our dwarfs love maximum illumination of the area, good drainage, sufficiently cultivated, light, loose loamy soils with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. You cannot plant taller plants next to dwarfs, as they will shade them.

Root system dwarf irises are concentrated in the surface layer, so those ground cover plants that spread strongly are not suitable as neighbors. It is better to choose plants that have a fibrous or taproot system, which is located below the roots of the irises. Good neighbors there will be forget-me-nots, miniature daylilies, thymes, violets.

REPRODUCTION AND CARE

Dwarf irises are planted after the end of flowering, after 2-3 weeks, when new rhizome links grow, but the flower bud has not yet been formed in them. It is located at the top of the tuft of leaves and is laid in the summer, so that, like all bearded irises, dwarfs overwinter with the flower buds laid. New rhizome links can be separated from the mother plant with a knife or a sharp small shovel without digging up the entire bush. The annual link of the rhizome with a diameter of 1-2 cm and a length of up to 3 cm with a bunch of short leaves is a planting unit (flower growers call it a spatula, fan, delenka).

When preparing the soil for planting irises, you should not add organic fertilizers, better - mineral ones. It is better to plant the divisions themselves in clean river sand, which is poured 2 cm under and around the rhizome. Water immediately after planting, and then only in hot, dry weather. It is better to position the spatula or fan so that the leaves are on the north side, then their shadow does not fall on the rhizome - this promotes additional heating.

Like bearded irises, dwarf irises do not like deep planting of rhizomes: in this case, stolons first develop on the plant, and then a young annual link of the rhizome grows.

For its wide variety (there are from 700 to 800 species), original forms and richness of color.

Description

Rules for planting bearded irises

To obtain a high-quality bearded iris that will delight you with its beauty, you need on-time landing and proper care of the plant in open ground.

The best time for planting and replanting is considered to be after flowering, then the plant will form new roots. If you look closely at the rhizome, then below the base of the leaves you can notice light green tubercles - these are the rudiments of the roots.

When they grow up, they will be very fragile and brittle. Therefore, irises are planted either immediately after flowering, or in the fall, when the roots become fibrous and hard.

Did you know?From the rhizomes of the iris flower, people have learned to make iris oil, which is used in the production of very high quality perfume products.

Place the flower on this mound, straighten the roots well and, compacting them, cover them with earth. The plant divisions should not be deepened too much, since the root should be well warmed by the sun.

When planting in the ground in the spring, the prepared bearded iris material must be processed. If the rhizome is very long, it needs to be trimmed a little, rotten areas removed and kept in weak solution potassium permanganate for about 20 minutes.

How to care for flowers

In order for the iris to delight with its flowering for a long time, it is necessary to carry out a number of works.

Soil care

Bearded iris requires in spring special care. It does not imply hard labor, you just need to be extremely careful when doing it. The roots of the flower are close to the surface of the earth, and you need to be very careful not to damage them.

Important!Irises cannot bloom on acidic soil! In this case, the plant will have a lot of strong leaves, but it will not throw out buds. It is possible to deoxidize the soil by adding ash, lime or.

Watering

Water accumulation and nutrients in irises it occurs in the root system. Therefore, they need watering only during dry summers and during the flowering period in order to prolong it.

Trimming leaves and spent shoots

In August, the leaves begin to slowly die off, this may serve as a signal that it is necessary to do sanitary pruning. To do this, you should completely remove all dried leaves, shorten the rest by half or a third.

In this simple way, you can protect the plant from all kinds of diseases, the carriers of which are old leaves and faded flower stalks.

Separately about feeding

in spring

The plant needs in the spring. It can be added as a solution under orris root. This fertilizing will help the development of leaves and increase the size of flowers.

Family: iris (Iridaceae).

Homeland: Europe Asia, North America, North Africa.

Form: perennial rhizomatous plants.

Description

Iris (irris) is a perennial herbaceous rhizomatous plant. However, there is a popular misconception that irises are bulbous. The leaves of the iris (irris) are sword-shaped, flat, thin, with a waxy coating, most often collected in a fan-shaped bunch. The roots of irises are thread-like, fibrous, and improve the structure of the soil.

Iris flowers (iris) solitary or in few-flowered inflorescences, individual species fragrant, distinguished by an elegant shape and a rich range of various shades, from pure white, yellow, blue to purple and almost black. The iris flower (iris) is large, consists of six (sometimes three) petal-shaped perianth lobes. The outer and inner lobes of the iris flower differ in shape, size and color. Garden irises (hybrid irises) and some others have multicellular hairs on their outer lobes - a “beard”. Iris (iris) blooms from May to June. Iris flowers bloom from one to five days.

Iris fruits are triangular ribbed long capsules. Iris seeds are large, ribbed, light or dark brown, 25-45 pcs. in a seed pod.

The varieties of irises are so diverse that you can easily create an entire iris garden.

The most common types of irises:

Bearded iris (I. barbata). It got its name because of the outer petals, the bases of which are decorated with stripes of hairs, often standing out in contrasting color against the general background of the flower. Bearded irises are divided into three groups according to the height of the peduncle: low-growing, no more than 40 cm high; medium-sized, 41-70 cm high; tall, more than 70 cm high. The color of bearded iris flowers varies depending on the variety - blue, purple, bordered.

(I. ruthenia Ker-Gawler). Grows in low, dense clumps. The flowers of the Russian iris are not large, pale lilac and violet-lilac, fragrant. Russian irises are suitable for rocky areas.

, Siberian iris (I. sibirica). Height is about 1 m. Flowers are violet-blue. Siberian iris is very hardy. The leaves of the Siberian iris are narrow-linear, light green, and remain until frost. Siberian iris and varieties of irises bred on its basis are combined into section Limniris. Irises of this group do not have beards on the outer perianth lobes.

Marsh iris, marsh iris (false calamus, yellow iris) (I. pseudacorus). Can reach 1 m in height. The flowers are golden yellow with brown streaks and bloom in May-June. Swamp iris (yellow killer whale) is thermophilic, prefers sun or partial shade. Swamp iris (yellow) is winter-hardy; spreads very quickly. Swamp iris (yellow) is used to decorate ponds (water depth up to 40 cm). Tolerates salinity.

Iris smooth (I. laevigata Fisch). Needs strong hydration. Smooth iris (smooth iris). Grows near water bodies.

Iris germanica (I. germanica) - iris with wide or narrow sword-shaped leaves that persist until autumn. The flowers of the German iris are large, on long (60-90 cm) peduncles. Flowering from May to late June. German iris (German iris) makes a good cut flower.

(I. pumila) is a miniature iris native to Southern Europe. Height up to 10 cm. Dwarf iris (dwarf iris), growing, forms small curtains. Blooms in May. The flowers are small and can have a variety of colors.

Iris ensiform , or Kaempfer's iris (I. ensata) is the most late-flowering species of irises. The leaves are narrow, 30-40cm high. The flowers of the xiphoid iris are flat with short inner and wide outer petals. The height of the peduncles is 60-70 cm.

Iris bristles (I. setosa). Very frost-resistant type. Recommended even for the far north.

Iris low , or iris low (I. humilis) - low-growing iris height 15-20 cm. Flowers yellow or purple. Low iris blooms in May-June.

Iris ostrogodny (I. acutiloba). The flowers are yellowish-white, black-brown, with a brown network of veins, strokes and dots.

Japanese iris (I. japonica). Based on the size of the flower, Japanese irises are divided into small, medium, large and very large. Based on the shape of the flower, they are divided into simple, double, and double. According to the height of the stem - very short, short, medium, tall. By flowering time - very early, early, mid-blooming, late, very late. Japanese iris flowers are purple-violet, in different shades. Reach large sizes. Weakly winter-resistant.

Growing conditions

The iris plant prefers fertile soil. Most irises do not tolerate excess moisture and shading. Large doses of nitrogen cause plant diseases. Irises will grow best on loamy soil with a neutral or slightly acidic reaction (p-H 5-6).

Application

Since irises are very decorative, their use is wide. Irises are often planted near the shores of water bodies. They are also used to create monobeds - iris gardens. Dwarf iris and Russian iris are planted on, in. Irises look very beautiful in combination with lupins, poppies, peons, bristly phlox, sedum and saxifrage, as well as bulbous plants. However, it must be taken into account that irises are not very competitive; well-growing perennials easily suppress them. Contrasting color combinations of irises are good, for example, it is better to plant dark irises against a background of light flowers.

Irises produce a sustainable cut.

Planting and care

Before planting irises, the soil should be dug to a depth of at least 20 cm, humus, potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen should be added. Fresh manure can be applied only a year before planting irises.

Most favorable time planting irises in central Russia - late August - early September.

Caring for irises after transplantation consists of weeding, loosening the soil, fertilizing and watering.

Irises must be replanted periodically, otherwise individual parts of the rhizomes will be squeezed out to the surface, which will reduce the feeding area and the irises may stop blooming, the leaves will become small and the decorativeness will decrease. Therefore, irises are transplanted every 3-5 years - garden irises and leafless iris, 6-8 years old - Siberian iris, 8-10 years old - yellow iris.

Some irises are covered for the winter.

Reproduction

Irises can be propagated by seeds and vegetatively. The seed method of propagating irises is used only through hybridization, so iris seeds are difficult to find. Irises bloom when seed propagation for 2-3 years.

More widespread vegetative propagation irises is a simpler way that allows you to get flower stalks in the first year after planting. This is how both varietal irises and wild ones are propagated.

Iris divisions are planted shallowly, superficially, slightly inclined, so that the bud is at soil level, and top part the rhizomes were not covered with soil. If the rhizomes are too deep during planting, the irises may not bloom, and there is also a risk of disease or death of the plant. Iris is divided and replanted 2-4 weeks after flowering. Irises bloom luxuriantly in the third year after planting. Iris seeds can be purchased at garden centers, order irises by mail or online.

Diseases and pests

To the most dangerous diseases irises are wet root rot caused by bacteria. The first symptoms of this disease are yellowing and drying of iris leaves in late spring. Then the disease affects the young shoots of irises, they grow weakly, turn yellow, turn brown and die.

Popular varieties

Garden varieties of irises are classified according to shape, size, flower color, height and flowering time. The most common is the division of iris varieties according to the height of the peduncle.

Low-growing irises are divided into two classes:

miniature dwarf bearded irises (peduncle height up to 25 cm);

standard dwarf (peduncle height 25-37 cm).

Medium-sized irises are divided into three classes:

early blooming irises (peduncle height 37-70 cm, flower diameter 7-12 mm);

miniature bearded irises (peduncle height 37-70 cm, flower diameter 5-7 mm);

border irises (peduncle height 37-70 cm, late flowering, flower diameter 7-12 mm).

All varieties of irises with a peduncle height above 70 cm and unlimited flower sizes are classified as standard tall bearded irises.

For growing in conditions middle zone The following varieties of irises from the Limniris group are recommended for Russia:

• white irises - 'Snowcrest',‘White Suprl’;

• blue-violet irises - ‘Tikkun’, 'Caesar', 'Emperor';

• blue irises - 'Cambridge', 'Mountain Lake'.

'New Snow'- white iris with a yellow beard, large, fragrant, late date flowering.

'May Hall'. Single-color, soft pink, large-flowered, fragrant, medium height.

‘Winner’s Sack’. A single-colored iris of dark purple color with a white spot under a blue beard. Blooms profusely every year.

'Irish Dream'. A single-color, light lemon-yellow variety with a bright yellow beard.

'Merion Made'. Single color light blue with a slightly purple tint with a yellow beard. Very large flowers. Looks beautiful in the garden and in a bouquet.