These types of irises will add bold color to your flower beds in spring and summer.
Irises are such a broad group of flowering plants that choosing varieties for your garden can be overwhelming. There are over three hundred species, and plant breeders have been creating tons of cultivars and hybrids. Irises are often split into two main categories: bearded and beardless. Another distinction is made between bulbous irises and rhizome irises, which have two different root and energy storage structures. Within each category are many subcategories, often divided by size, appearance, or species.
What most irises have in common are showstopping flowers and long, sword-shaped leaves that add bold vertical interest. Here are 10 of the most beautiful types of iris to add to your garden.
Bearded Iris
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It’s likely, when you picture an iris, that the image you form is one of these big flower power beauties. Bearded irises (Iris x germanica) are named for a fuzzy patch on the lower petal of the flower. Many bearded irises are very cold-hardy. After flowering, the foliage of bearded irises tend to look a little beaten up as summer goes by but the leaves need to remain on the plant. Just plant another flower in the bed that blooms from summer into fall.
Many online vendors don’t separate their bearded irises by size, so take care to note their mature height when planning your garden and ordering plants.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Size: 8-36 inches tall
Zones: 3–9
Japanese Iris
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These beardless irises need abundant water during the growing season and do well planted near water features, but they won’t tolerate being saturated all winter. Japanese irises (Iris ensata) bloom later than Siberian or bearded irises and have a flatter, more two-dimensional flower. Unlike most rhizome irises, plant Japanese iris rhizomes vertically, with the growing point up.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, moist, slightly acidic soil
Size: 2-4 feet tall
Zones: 4-9
Siberian Iris
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These showy, clumping, low-maintenance irises are perfect for borders or splashes of color in a spring garden. The foliage of Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) remains bright green and attractive after the blooms have faded. Siberian iris rhizomes spread over time to form a large clump of plants and can be easily divided every 3 to 4 years to provide more irises and restore vigor.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; fertile, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
Size: 2-4 feet tall
Zones: 3-8
Reticulated Iris
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A short-statured iris, the flowers of the reticulated iris (Iris reticulata), also called netted or dwarf iris, are on stalks commonly six inches or less, but the leaves reach up to a foot after blooming has finished. These early spring bloomers are great for mixed borders, and rock gardens, They even grow as houseplants in wide, shallow pots. The bulbs develop offshoots, which may be dug up and divided after the blooms have finished and the leaves have died back in midsummer.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-drained soil
Size: 6-12 inches tall
Zones: 5-9
Louisiana Iris
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This name Louisiana iris is given to a group of five iris species: Iris fulva, I. brevicaulis, I. nelsonii, I. hexagona, and I. giganticaerulea. These irises grow actively throughout the winter, flower, and then go dormant for the summer. The giant blue flag iris (Iris giganticaerulea) reaches up to six feet in height. Many of these irises grow in shallow water, so they’re perfect for a low spot where drainage is less ideal.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, loamy, moist, acidic soil
Size: 2-6 feet
Zones: 6–10
Dutch Iris
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These bulb-grown irises are a hybrid (Iris x hollandica) of irises native to Spain, Portugal, and North Africa. They are excellent for naturalizing. They’re early summer bloomers and prefer a little afternoon shade in hotter climates. Most varieties bloom in shades of blue, purple, or yellow, although a few are available in rusty orange and mauve hues. Their foliage is thinner and finer than most other iris types.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; grows in most soil types but requires well-drained soil
Size: 1-2 feet
Zones: 5–9
Spanish Iris
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Spanish irises are irises in the subgenus Xiphium. They have long, nearly tubular foliage and mid-sized flowers on top of tall, slender stalks in late spring to early summer. They do well with little care, and most have the traditional iris look: blue or violet flowers with a yellow patch on the lower petals.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil
Size: 24-30 inches
Zones: 5-8
Crested Iris
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These diminutive native irises (Iris cristata) are found in peaty woodland habitats. They form a groundcover and are only a foot tall or less. The name crested refers to a beard-like fringe on the lower petal, which isn’t quite distinct enough to call a beard. Crested irises make excellent groundcover in rock gardens or partly shady woodland sites.
Growing Conditions: Partial shade; rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soils
Size: 6-12 inches
Zones: 3-8
Aril Iris
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Aril irises are a bit of a misfit in iris circles, preferring semi-desert conditions and heat. They are often considered the most beautiful irises but can be difficult to grow. Aril irises have been crossbred with bearded irises to form arilbred irises, which will grow anywhere bearded irises are successful.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; excellent drainage
Size: 2-4 feet
Zones: 4–9
Northern Blue Flag Iris
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The larger blue flag iris, also called the northern blue flag iris, is a very hardy iris species native to Canada and the United States. It has showy, down-curved purple flowers whose color often varies on the same plant, hence the botanical name, Iris versicolor. Its native habitat is near water; it grows in up to 4 inches of standing fresh water so make sure the planting location has constantly moist soil.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; rich, moist soil
Size: 2-3 feet
Zones: 3–9
