Do you want to plant irises in your garden and are you wondering how to do it? How do you take care of them to ensure they bloom again each year? Perhaps you received a bouquet of irises and are curious about the meaning of this flower?
You’re in the right place.
Today, I’m sharing my florist knowledge about Irises, including how to grow and care for them, so you can enjoy a beautiful garden filled with blooms this spring!
Like the Lily, the Iris is a flower associated with success. It symbolizes good fortune and can be a truly lucky gift. Throughout history, it has been used to represent royal power and majesty since the time of Clovis. This flower boasts many virtues: it has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties and has been cultivated for thousands of years. In the garden, plant it at the end of summer in a sunny spot. Whether you choose bulbs or rhizomes, your Irises will reward you with beautiful, colorful flowers by the following spring!
Want to learn more? Keep reading to discover:
- What is the symbolism of the Iris, and what are its uses and benefits
- Which flower should you pair it with in a bouquet
- Where and when to plant your Irises in the garden
- How to grow beautiful flowers
- When to cut the Irises
The Iris: A Beautiful Flower, What Does It Mean?
Often given in the spring, this beautiful flower symbolizes wealth and good news. It carries a positive omen and allows the giver to wish the recipient great success in all their endeavors.
In Greek mythology, Iris, the winged goddess, was the messenger of Zeus and Hera on Earth.
According to botanists, the Iris is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world. It was already known in Babylon and ancient Greece, long before the year zero. During the Middle Ages, it was the emblem of the Germanic empires.
It is also said that this flower played a crucial role during the Battle of Vouillé in 507, which pitted Clovis’s Franks against the Visigoths. The battle took place in impassable marshlands, and the Frankish armies managed to cross them thanks to irises that grew there, creating a surface that allowed them to stabilize and launch a victorious attack against the Visigoths.
After his victory, Clovis had an iris embroidered on his banners in gold thread. From that moment on, this flower was given another name: the lily of Clovis. Subsequently, the kings of France adopted it as a symbol of the monarchy, leading to the lily becoming a representation of absolute monarchy, which was actually just a derivative of the original iris used to symbolize royal power.
👉 Want to learn more about the Lily, its meaning, and the culture surrounding Lilies? Check out this article published on our blog that is fully dedicated to this topic!
What are the Uses and Benefits of Iris?
Like lavender, dried iris rhizomes were stored in wardrobes to fragrance the laundry.
For a long time, small beads were carved from the dry rhizomes of this flower to create necklaces and rosaries for little girls.
Finally, it is said that Iris has expectorant properties, meaning it helps combat inflammation in the respiratory tract. Iris powder may also soothe teething pain in babies. Its anti-inflammatory properties can help reduce skin rashes, which is why Iris is used in many soothing creams!
What flowers can you pair with Iris in a bouquet?
The iris pairs particularly well with seasonal spring flowers, such as:
- The Daffodils
- The Hyacinths
- The Buttercups
- The Tulips
- The Star-of-Bethlehem
- The Mimosa Flowers
Daffodil / Tulip / Mimosa Flowers
The purple iris is also beautifully complemented by yellow flowers such as yellow roses and yellow gerbera daisies.
When and How to Plant Iris?
Before I explain how to plant Iris in your garden, let’s take a look at some characteristics of this flower so you can choose the variety that suits your preferences.
What Are the Different Types of Iris?
With more than 300 different varieties of Iris listed, you certainly have plenty of choices! All these flowers share a common trait of stunning, often vibrant blooms that appear in the spring. However, among them, we can distinguish two types of Iris:
➡️ The Bearded Irises, known as “Iris Germanica”
Their root system is what we call a rhizome. This allows them to expand endlessly and sometimes bloom several times a year. They typically grow between 31 and 39 inches tall.
They are made for you if:
✔️ You want to see them bloom several times a year,
✔️ Do you want a beautiful flower bed that thrives in your garden year after year?
On the left: Rhizomatous Iris / In the center and on the right: Bulbous Iris
➡️ The Bulbous Irises, known as “Iris Xiphium”
These irises grow from a bulb: they tend to spread less over the years and do not bloom again within the same year. They are also smaller than the previous ones, reaching a maximum height of 18 inches.
They are made for you if:
✔️ You would prefer a variety that requires less maintenance,
✔️ You would like to be able to remove your Irises from the ground in a few years to plant something else,
✔️ You want them to not spread too much on the surface year after year,
✔️ Do you want to make some bouquets? These are the ones used by florists!
Where and When to Plant Them?
For both types of Iris, the best time to plant them is August to September, in the garden, in full sun or partial shade. Make sure to place them in well-drained soil that is fairly rich, neutral, or slightly alkaline.
If you’d like, you can also plant them in a greenhouse in a very bright spot, using a deep pot filled with a rich potting mix and sand.
How to Proceed?
Even though they belong to the same family, the two types require different care during planting.
🔸 When it comes to rhizomatous irises, they should be planted at the surface or covered with a few inches of soil in a warm climate. Space the rhizomes 15 to 30 centimeters apart. Every three to five years, you can divide the rhizomes (the roots) by replanting fragments of them in a new location.
🔸 Bearded irises should be planted closer together, specifically every 2 to 4 inches. Bury each bulb to a depth that is twice the height of the bulb. You can dig up the bulbs in September if you want to replant them elsewhere, give them away, or divide them.
How to Make Them Bloom?
They will thrive and bloom more spectacularly after a hot summer 🌞.
To help irises bloom, you can spread a bulb fertilizer on the surface at planting time and again around March. This is suitable for both rhizomatous and bulb varieties.
If they are grown in a greenhouse, water them once a week during the growing season. Keep them almost dry during the resting period. As soon as the air temperature rises above freezing, ventilate the greenhouse to prevent any mold growth on the bulb.
When to Cut or Prune Iris?
Your irises have bloomed, and you’re wondering if you need to trim them? It’s a good idea to do so, especially for rhizome irises. This will prevent the roots from becoming exhausted, allowing them to rebloom more easily!
To trim your irises, you have two options:
- You cut them while they’re still in bloom to enjoy fresh flowers indoors and create a bouquet with them,
- You prefer to enjoy the flowers directly on the plant in your garden. In this case, prune them once the stems have wilted, cutting to a height of about 4 inches.
Congratulations, you are now an Iris expert! You can start preparing your garden for planting and soon enjoy its beautiful blooms!
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