5 Purple Irises You Need To Plant

Byembarkgarden

Have you ever wished you knew more about irises? Have you ever been on the fence about what type to buy? Have you ever grown irises and wished you could master them better? If so, then this article is for you! This article will help you with your iris needs whether or not you are just starting with them or are a seasoned veteran! If you are new to irises, this article will cover what makes irises interesting (and sometimes even beautiful) and give you insight into how to grow them.

If you already have a proven record with irises and would like some suggestions, read on! I hope that by the end of this article, you will understand what makes irises so awesome and find some new varieties to add to your collection. And most importantly, you will have mastered your irises and be a better results-oriented gardener.

All about irises

Reliable as the rising and setting sun, Irises make even the most black thumbs look green. They are not just beautiful but also provide a host of practical benefits. They are easy to grow, beautiful, and a great addition to any garden. Like rose bushes, they can be grown almost anywhere. Estate gardeners and even government parks grow them quite successfully. When sown in the fall, Irises bloom the following spring, so it’s a great flower to plant for yourself and others.

Here are the best 5 purple irises you needed in your garden in 2021.

1. Swingtown Fragrant Bearded Iris

This is one of the most popular and best-known purple irises. It is a very compact iris with erect, well-branched stems. The flowers are fragrant and a deep purple. This can be grown in containers as well as in the garden. It is very easy to grow and is a good choice for beginners. Swingtown flowers last a long time, and the surrounding foliage grows, even more, providing further enjoyment.

2. Purple Tall Dutch Iris

This colorful Iris is an excellent choice for a modern or contemporary garden. The purple colors of the Iris are soft, striking, and bright. The flowers have a long bloom season, so it is an excellent choice for a perennial. The tall height of each flower will add a great garden look to any flower bed.

3. Shakers Prayer Siberian Iris

    This iris is a tall plant with large flower heads, which will go into bloom from mid-April until the middle of May. They have very small leaves, which are light green. These are long-lasting, meaning you will get great flowers for at least four weeks each year.

    4. Swingtown Fragrant Bearded Iris

    This one is a nice choice. The plant grows up to 30 inches tall, is evergreen, and produces large, fragrant flowers. The fragrance of this flower is so strong that it can be smelled throughout the entire house, which means more of these flowers will bloom during the growing season into early spring. The flower’s color is soft violet pink with a subtle violet center.

    5. Mother Earth Reblooming Iris

      This plant is a good choice for your garden; the flowers bloom year-round. The flowers are sky blue and appear in sunny locations from spring to mid-summer. Special care is not needed, as it is easy to maintain. The mother earth reblooming iris grows very well in USDA zones 4 – 9 and will bloom continuously outdoors without any maintenance during July and August.

      Mother earth’s reblooming iris attracts butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, and bees to your garden. This makes it a great choice for pollinators.

      8 Types of Irises

      1. Bearded iris (Iris germanica)

        The most common type of iris is the rhizomatous Iris germanica. It has sword-like leaves and fuzzy petals. The bearded iris does not produce seeds. Instead, it spreads from plant to plant through its root system. This makes it a perfect choice for landscaping. The flower looks like a skunk in color, making it popular and one of the most popular irises grown in gardens worldwide.

        2. Dwarf-crested iris (Iris cristata)

          Dwarf crested iris is another common type of iris, it has lance-shaped leaves, and the flower is small and has a thin stem. It grows well in USDA zone 4 – 8 and can bloom continuously throughout the summer months of July and August. It is a great choice for gardening beginners, as it will grow very well in containers.

          3. Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)

          The Siberian iris is a rhizome iris that flowers in early spring. It has a long stem and large fluffy blooms. It can tolerate more frost than most other irises. It’s great for gardeners who want the blooms to look long into the summer and grow in colder areas.

          4. Dutch iris (Iris hollandica)

          It is the most popular and widely grown iris and is an excellent choice for landscaping. It has several colors, and they often bloom simultaneously in Spring. Dutch irises bloom all year round if not overwatered or underfed. They grow well in containers, have a long flowering season, and can survive frost.

          5. Beardless Irises

          These are irises not found natively in North America and are more scarce than the other types. They are grown using seeds planted in the soil. Flower colors include blue, pink, purple, and white for single blooms or clusters of colors for double blooms.

          6.Crested Iris (Iris cristata)

          Crested Iris is a new kind of iris that was discovered in the late 19th century and was named after the shape of its bloom. It grows very well in containers, has soft grassy-like foliage, and blooms early in spring with a double crest of bluish flowers.

          7. Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus)

          It is a beautiful all-season bloomer with yellow and creamy white flowers. This iris blooms from early spring through fall but can be grown outside in cool areas. It is hardy to USDA Zone 3 and needs to be protected from frost.

          8. Japanese iris (Iris ensata)

          This iris is very easy to grow and beautiful in full bloom. It requires little maintenance and has medium-sized, cream-colored flowers with a darker yellow rim. They are very easy to grow in the garden. The medium-sized blooms are quite fragrant but not overpowering.

          When to Plant Irises

          Irrigated irises can be planted in the fall, though rhizomes can be planted in the summer. In general, rhizomes will grow a more traditional iris (with broad leaves and a central stalk), while bulbs will often produce long, thin stems typical of bearded irises. Irises thrive best in USDA hardiness zones 3–9.

          How to Grow Irises

          The best way to care for an iris cultivar is to plant it in rich soil that is kept moist so that the bulbs can easily form. It should not be allowed to dry out. Feed young plants with a monthly liquid fertilizer throughout the growing season. Keep the foliage clean by removing dead or damaged leaves.

          Watering once or twice a week during the growing season is sufficient to prevent wilting. Set your bulbs out after the last frost, and then remember to mulch with several inches of compost, manure, or peat moss.

          Care for Irises

          Irises are a great container plant to grow, and they will produce beautiful blooms all summer. Most iris can handle a little drought, especially in the summer, but you can keep them well-watered by mulching them with pine or cat litter. They will grow in loose soil, and if you live in an area that doesn’t experience harsh winters, you could put them outside for winter.

          Iris are climbers, so the majority of their roots gather low to the ground and are easily reached. They also tend to bolt and need months of cool weather to produce blooms. If you don’t have an area for them, you could grow them in a glass terrarium. Irises don’t need as much light as most other flowers, but they will do best in bright indirect sunlight with plenty of water so that it doesn’t dry out between watering.

          That can be hard if you live in a city or location with less sun exposure than the suburban gardens that seem to be ubiquitous these days. Even with many hours of direct sunlight, though, your irises will still turn up beautiful colors like this one:

          Iris Pests and Diseases

          • Aphids
          • Bacterial soft rot of iris
          • Blight (southern), “white mold.”
          • Blight (Botrytis), “gray mold.”
          • Inkspot
          • Iris borers
          • Iris weevils (“flag weevils”)
          • Leaf spot (“bacterial leaf spot of iris”)
          • Leaf spot (fungal)
          • Nematodes (foliar)
          • Nematodes (root-knot)
          • Nematodes (stem and bulb)
          • Thrips
          • Verbena bud moths

          Conclusion

          In this article, I have only discussed the 5 Purple Irises you need to plant [in 2022] in your garden. You can add a few other species. I have made a few planting recommendations for you according to the best color combinations for each species. I hope this article will serve as reference material for my readers and lead you to full and bountiful gardens of purple iris from now on. If this article has stimulated your desire to try these beautiful flowers, they will reward you with many years of beauty and delight. Thank You For Reading My Article. I hope you like the article. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to ask me in the comment.

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          I am Noman YSF a passionate gardener with years of experience in cultivating a wide variety of plants. From delicate flowers to hearty vegetables, I have a wealth of knowledge to share on all aspects of gardening. With a keen eye for detail and a love for the natural world, My blog is a must-read for anyone interested in learning more about how to grow and care for their own garden. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, you're sure to find something of value in my writing.