Tall Bearded Irises
Bearded iris, Iris germanica, is a hardy, long-lived perennial that require a minimum of maintenance. The flowers have six petals; three upright petals (called standards) and three hanging petals (called falls). A fuzzy line or beard runs down the middle of each fall. Flowers come in many colors including blue, pink, purple, reddish, white, yellow, and bi-colors. Most bearded iris flower in the spring (April to June depending on cultivar), but some of the new cultivars re-flower in the summer and fall. The second flower display is not as showy as the spring display but last into the fall. Many re-blooming iris are fragrant.
Bearded Iris Terms:
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Bicolor: Standards and Falls are different colors
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Bitone: Standards and Falls are different shades of the same color.
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Neglecta: Light blue Standards with darker falls
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Plicata: Speckled, stitched, or solid margin of color on lighter ground
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Self: An iris of one color
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Space Age: Has horns, spoons, or flounces extending from the beard
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Variegata: Yellow standards with dark colored falls
Gypsy Caravan
This flamboyant variegata boasts brilliant coloration combining two distinct shades. Bright golden standards contrast with flaring deep red falls. This award winning variety grows 36" tall and after its spring display, it re-blooms for weeks in the summer.
Pride of Ireland
Crisp green blooms for St. Patrick's Day. Buds are dark green, open blooms chartreuse to light lime! Light yellow falls, awash with pale green, sport darker green undersides that show brilliantly in bud. Mid- to late season. The distinctive form and watercolor tones of this easy perennial dapple the late spring to early summer landscape. Plant in mass in the border, on the blazing patio, along a sun-soaked wall -- anywhere you want ever-increasing drifts of radiant color! Healthy, drought-tolerant, top-size rhizomes may take a season to establish
Edith Wolford
This stunning, award-winning, bicolor scarcely looks
real, with standards of canary-yellow offset by medium violet-blue falls.
The watercolor-like detail of the blooms is exquisite and the form is
impeccable, with delightfully ruffled petals. Winner of the 1993 Dykes
Award, the highest honor accorded a Bearded Iris, 'Edith Wolford' opens in
midseason on 35-inch stems.
Magic Man
Purple edged in violet -- sky-blue -- tangerine -- Nature has outdone herself. Velvety petals in 3 shades of blue offset by a bright orange beard create a dazzling show on well-branched 38-inch stems. 5 inches long and 4 inches across, these blooms offer falls of royal purple edged in pale violet and standards of crisp baby blue. Each stem offers 7 to 8 buds that open in mid- to late season.
Bride's Halo
Satiny white petals narrowly bordered with gold pair wonderfully with blue- and russet-toned plants. Blooms in midseason. The distinctive form and watercolor tones of this easy perennial dapple the late spring to early summer landscape. Plant in mass in the border, on the blazing patio, along a sun-soaked wall -- anywhere you want ever-increasing drifts of radiant color! Our healthy, drought-tolerant, top-size rhizomes take a season to establish. Grows about 34 to 36 inches tall. Zones 3-9.
Dutch Magic (1)
Orange, rust blend
Afternoon Delight (2)
This ruffled honey-tan and lavender blend shimmers with an intriguing interplay of pastel tones. The delightful rosy lavender falls are nicely edged with a 1/2 inch border of warm buff-tan. The same honey coloring also blends from the petal's underside and the flower's interior. 7 to 9 buds per stem. A tall bearded 36" mid season bloomer.
Queen of Hearts (3)
Liven up the landscape with this ruffled, deliciously ornate, peaches and cream bicolor A refreshing change of pace from blue and white Irises, this luscious bicolor adds warm tone and interesting color and texture to the garden. Solid coral-salmon standards, exquisitely frilled and ruffled, rise above white falls with a delicate coral fringe. Blooming in mid- to late-season on majestic 36-inch plants, 'Queen of Hearts' is a good companion to blue-flowered perennials as well.
Beverly Sills (4)
Introduced by Hager in 1979, Beverly Sills has been one of the most popular irises ever since. An erect, tall bearded iris which produces numerous flamingo pink flowers with flaring falls in late spring on stems up to 35" arising from fleshy rhizomes. Green leaves are narrow (1.5" wide), sword-shaped and up to 1.5' long. Drought tolerant once established. Dykes Medal award winner.
Cranberry Ice (6)
Cranberry Ice blooms dark cranberry-maroon. Vivid bronze/orange beards enhance the piquant warmth from this richly colored, ruffled flower. Blooms are borne on sturdy well branched stems in early summer. Introduced by Schreiner in 1976, it grow to 35" tall.
Fashion Fling (8)
Pink blend
Going My Way (9)
Introduced by Gibson in 1972, Going My Way is a ruffled purple rimmed plicata on pure white.
Celestial Glory (13)
Orange, with an orange beard
Mulled Wine (15)
Introduced by Keppel in 1982, Mulled Wine is Rasberry-burgundy with an orange beard. It grows to 36" tall.
Radiant Apogee (18)
A radiant orange/yellow iris with white falls bordered by cinnamon brown rims closer to the hafts. A Dykes Award winner, Radiant Apogee was introduced in 1964 by Gibson. It is a midseason bloomer and taller than most at 38".
Synphanette (20)
Pink and violet blend
Sheer Poetry (22)
Ruffled and crimped blend of buff, lavender and yellow with tiny rim of light tan at edge of standards and falls. The beards are yellow. Introduced by Palmer in 1978 Sheer Poetry grows to 36" tall.
Gay Parasol (24)
The colors on this beautiful bicolor are reminiscent of some of the old irises that grandmother had. This is the best of both....old fashioned color, and modern form. Ice blue (near white) standards with ruffled pansy rose-violet falls that are edged in a lighter purple. Hybridized by Schreiner and introduced in 1974, this bitone iris grows to 35" tall.
Spartan (31)
A
classical rich, dark, red wine self with antique gold-tipped maroon
beards. Grows well once established and a very popular iris. It was
introduced by Schreiner in 1973 from the parentage of 'Fireball '.
It grow to 35" in height.
Copper Classic (33)
Jazz up the blues with large coppery-orange flowers that are adorned with
vivid tangerine beards. Copper Classic blooms midseason. The
distinctive form and watercolor tones of this easy perennial dapple the
late spring to early summer landscape. Plant in mass in the border, on the
blazing patio, along a sun-soaked wall -- anywhere you want
ever-increasing drifts of radiant color. Grows about 34 to 36 inches
tall.
Olympiad (34)
Light blue standards with deeper coloring at the center of the flower spilling onto the center fall as a flush of color. The main part of the fall is a blue lighter yet, the beards lightest of all blues in the blossom. Introduced by Ghio in 1984.
Anon (35)
Anon boasts pale orange standards with brown hafts on yellowish falls. Very "dainty".
Burning Brand (36)
Orange Red
Fire Chief (37)
This variegata, categorized as a Yellow, has deep yellow standards. The falls are a brownish-red rimmed with yellow. The beards are also yellow. This historic, mid to late season bloomer was introduced in 1959 by hybridizer, Galyon, and it grows to 35" tall.
Glory Bound (38)
Glory Bound was hybridized by R. Nelson and registered in 1974. It is a tall-bearded iris, 36" tall, and blooms in midseason. The standards are campanula violet, heavily ruffled and lightly laced; the falls are a blend between campanula violet and spectrum violet with a lighter area around and a burnt orange beard. It was introduced on the market in 1978 through Mission Bell Gardens located in Roy Utah..
Joyce Terry (39)
A beautiful bicolor with bright yellow standards and beards with white falls that are edged yellow.
Ming Dynasty (40)
A metallic highly polished gold with an orange cast. It has a flashy, ruffled, substance and is well branched. Introduced by Moldovan in 1970 it grows 36" tall and is a mid to late season bloomer.
Misty Dawn (41)
Dark and light blue
Natchez Trace (42)
Natchez Trace is the name of a state park in Tennessee funded by the Iris license plate depicting Tennessee's state cultivated flower. It has red standards with brown-red falls with a lighter edge. Introduced in 1964 by Wills, Natchez Trace is a medium to late bloomer that grows 35" in height.
Toledo (44)
Dark Purple and black.
Exotic Star (48)
The standards are between violet and Victoria violet
with white center infusion. The falls are the same with white ray
(star) pattern under the beard and extending down 1¼" below the beard. The beard is light orange tipped
with light mauve. Exotic Star
grows to 36" tall and was introduced by Plough in 1974.
Gingerbread Castle (49)
A glossy gingerbread brown self. Gingerbread Castle is a late bloomer and reaches a tall 40" in height. It was introduced by Thompkins in 1967.
Jewel Tone (50)
Jewel Tone is a velvety deep ruby-red bicolor, with a ruby beard.
Queen in Calico (52)
Queen of consistent bloom would be a more fitting title for this raspberry and tan blend. The entire flower appears sprayed with a cream wash. Another iris that is very popular. Introduced in 1980 by Gibson from a cross of Orange Plush and Anon, Queen in Calico attains a height of 34" and is a mid season bloomer.
Siva Siva (53)
This historic plicata boasts standards of gold and reddish brown. Its falls are white ground, with a gold border, etched and speckled red with spicy mahogany brown. Introduced in 1961 by Gibson, this tall bearded iris is 36" in height.
Sunrise Point (54)
Pink, with an orange beard
Love Magic (56)
Lavender, pinkish
Bayberry Candle (57)
Sometimes classified as a green it is probably closer to a dirty yellow/khaki color. Very unique but somewhat bland, standards are chartreuse to lime. Falls are golden olive-green with a darker center. The beard is brown. One of the last to bloom with a nice, tall, ramrod straight stalk that stands up to wind with no staking. Introduced by DeForest in 1969 this tall bearded iris grows to 36".
Gracie Pfost (58)
Congresswoman. Rose and brown.
