Bearded iris: varieties with photos and names, planting and care

Irises are perennial herbaceous plants found on all continents. Many of their species are grown as ornamentals, they are used to decorate household plots, park areas, and gardens. A variety of these flowers are bearded irises, this is one of the largest groups of perennials, with many varieties of various sizes and colors.

General description of bearded irises

Bearded irises are rhizomatous perennial flowers, widely distributed in many climatic zones in different parts of the world. Here is a brief description of the main parts of this plant:

Bearded irises – the most numerous group of these plants

Why is the bearded iris so called

Bearded irises got their names from the numerous hairs located at the base of the petals. It is they who form the characteristic “beard”.

The characteristic “beard” of hairs on the petals gave the name to this type of iris.

Classification of varieties of bearded irises

Bearded irises are classified according to several criteria. This is the height of the peduncle, the beginning and duration of flowering, the size of the flower and the nature of the color. In the international classification, these parameters are indicated by the corresponding Latin names and symbols that indicate on the packaging with planting material.

Classification of bearded irises according to the height of the peduncle (table):

Classification of bearded irises at the beginning of flowering (table):

Classification of bearded irises according to the nature of the color with names in Latin (table):

In addition, bearded irises are classified by flower size, distinguishing varieties with small, medium, large and largest.

When and how bearded iris blooms

Bearded iris flowers look very unusual. Perianths consist of 6 lobes-petals, 3 of which are raised up, and 3 are lowered down. In the specialized literature, they all have their own names. The 3 lower petals (outer lobes) are called fouls, the 3 upper lobes (inner lobes) are called standards. Hidden behind them is a pistil with 3 wide lobes, as well as numerous stamens. The petals of the bearded iris have a wavy edge often referred to as lace.

Irises bloom very beautifully, regardless of color.

The flowering of irises begins quite early. In regions with warm climates, dwarf varieties may bloom as early as early April, then buds appear in medium-sized plants. The largest varieties bloom at the end of May. If you choose the right species, then you can admire the continuous flowering of irises for about 1,5 months.

Winter hardiness of bearded irises

Not all varieties of bearded irises have good frost resistance. Critical for most of them is a cooling down to -12-14 ° C, and for some, a half lower temperature may well be fatal. For this reason, in most regions of Our Country, irises need one or another shelter for the winter.

The best varieties of bearded irises

Of the thousands of types of varieties and hybrids of bearded irises, you can always choose the best one, focusing on the desired parameters, such as size, color or flowering time.

Succes Fou

The bearded iris Saxes Fu is a large variety with a medium-late flowering period. Peduncles are powerful, stable, grow up to 0,9 m. Standards are pink flamingos, fouls are pink coral. The flowers are very large and beautiful, with a reddish-pink beard.

Saxes Fu, despite its high height, can be grown without tying

Prince Doctors

Prince Medici – one of the large varieties of bearded irises with a two-tone color. Peduncles are strong, stable, can reach a height of 1 m. The outer perianth segments have a rich wine color, the inner ones have a lighter ruby-red hue.

Prince Medici – a variety with a pleasant wine color

Decadence

This variety of bearded irises of the middle flowering period belongs to the tall ones. Peduncles grow to a height of 0,9-0,95 m. The petals have a strongly corrugated edge. Standards light apricot with cream undertones, pinkish central veins. The falls are burgundy with a small cream border. The Decadence beard is orange with a tangerine hue.

The edges of the Decadence fouls are painted in the same tone as the standards.

Devil’s Lake

It is not for nothing that this variety of bearded irises is called “Devil’s Lake” in translation, there is something mystical in it. Its petals have a monochromatic dark ultramarine color, both fouls and standards, and look quite ominous. The flowers are very large, the size of a human palm, powerful peduncles can grow up to 1 m. Devils Lake belongs to the tall varieties of late flowering.

Very unusually colored bearded iris – Devils Lake

Magical Glow

A very bright and eye-catching variety of tall bearded irises with tangerine-orange solid color fouls, the standards have a bronzed tint and are slightly more ruffled. The beard is tangerine-red. Flowering time is average. Peduncles can grow a little more than 1 m.

Magical Glu refers to tall varieties

Sultan Palace

The variety belongs to the curb, flower stalks grow up to 0,6-0,9 m. Sultans Palace blooms late, at the end of May. The standards of this bearded iris are red, the falls are darker, with black scorch marks along the edge of the petals. The beard is yellow.

Important! Irises Sultan Palace are excellent cut.

Sultan Palace irises are well suited for cutting

Supreme Sultan

Supreme Sultan is an excellent decorative variety of bearded irises with a two-tone color. The standards are yellow-orange, with a pumpkin tint, the falls are a rich velvety mahogany color. The beard is tangerine-burgundy. Peduncles of Supreme Sultan are high, grow up to 0,9-1 m. Flowering is very late.

Variety of very late flowering period – Suprim Sultan

Pink Taffeta

Bearded iris Pink Taffet is classified as a curb iris, its height is usually 0,7-0,8 m. Falls and standards are pink, wavy, the beard is light carrot in color. Blooms late, in June. The flowering period of Pink Taffeta is about 3 weeks.

Border variety Pink Taffeta has lace petals

Kopatonik

This variety of lacy bearded irises is considered one of the most beautiful. Standards are light brown with a creamy tint, falls have a ruby-brown velvety color, the border is light. The petals of the Copatonic are strongly ruffled, with a mustard-coloured beard. It belongs to mid-early varieties, flower stalks grow up to 0,8-0,85 m.

One of the most decorative varieties of bearded irises – Kopatonic

Bullfighter

The bearded iris of the middle-late flowering period of Torero can grow up to 0,8-0,9 m. The color is very bright, catchy, the standards are orange, apricot hue, the falls are brick-red, velvety, lighter rays are clearly visible near the carrot-colored beard.

Iris Torero has a very bright color

The plague

It belongs to high, peduncles can grow up to 0,9 m. The flowering period is average, the first buds appear in early June. The Wabash standards are pure white, the lower lobes are violet-blue, inky tint, with a thin white blurred border. The beard is golden.

Wabash – an old and well-deserved variety of bearded irises

Ever after

This is a medium-late variety of bearded irises, growing to a height of 0,9-0,95 m. Falls and standards are corrugated, painted in purple, lighter in the center of the petal. Beard tangerine.

Heavily corrugated petals of Ever After give the flower splendor

Bearded irises in landscape design + photo

Among landscape designers, special beds designed only for irises – iridaria are especially popular. Varieties with different flowering periods are planted on them so that the process is continuous. In the photo below – bearded irises as elements of landscape design.

Iridarium – a large flower bed filled with irises of different flowering periods

Bearded irises are often used as borders, framing alleys, garden paths, they are often planted along fences, walls, and architectural objects.

Irises look great as border plants.

Bearded irises planted near water bodies look good. In this case, the bed with them is raised, since these plants do not like excess moisture. Low varieties are planted on alpine hills, in Japanese gardens.

Irises look especially beautiful near the water.

Is it possible to plant bearded irises on the balcony

Bearded irises can be grown on the balcony, but for this it is better to use dwarf and miniature varieties that grow no higher than 0,4 m. The soil for planting should be breathable and light. A soil-peat mixture is suitable, in which you need to add a little superphosphate and ash. Organic fertilizers are not recommended for growing irises at home.

On the balcony it is better to grow low irises

The rhizome is planted in a small depression in the ground, while the plant itself should have a slight slope to the north. Watering should be moderate, excess moisture is harmful.

Features of reproduction of bearded irises

The most common way to propagate varietal bearded irises is to divide the rhizome. Over time, the root of this plant grows strongly, neighboring plantations begin to interfere with each other, and the quality of flowers decreases. To avoid this situation, once every 1 years, irises are dug out of the ground and divided into parts, each of which subsequently becomes first planting material, and then an independent flower.

How to plant bearded irises

Before planting bearded irises, you need to choose the right variety suitable for growing in the local climate, as well as prepare the site. The place for flowers should be well lit, isolated from the north wind. Irises grow well on the south side of walls, fences, on the slopes of hills facing the sun. The soil should be loose, breathable, with an acidity level close to neutral.

The site must be dug up a few weeks before planting, clearing it of weeds and debris. It is best to plant flowers in late summer or early autumn, after the plants have finished blooming. If the planting material is purchased in the spring, then the rhizomes of bearded irises can be planted in open ground after the earth warms up to + 10 ° C.

Iris rhizome is planted on a special mound

Planting bearded irises is easy. Rhizomes are planted in shallow holes, in the center of which a mound of earth is poured, roots are spread along its sides. After that, the pits fall asleep, making sure that the upper part of the rhizome with growth buds remains above the soil surface. If the rhizome is completely buried in the ground, the iris will not bloom and may even die. The interval between adjacent plants depends on the height of the variety, for dwarf plants it is 0,2-0,3 m, for large ones – 0,5-0,8 m. Planting is completed with abundant watering.

Bearded Iris Care

Caring for bearded irises is easy. For abundant flowering, they need to be fed from time to time with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, this is usually done during autumn planting, in early spring and in the budding phase. Organics for irises, as a rule, are not used. Watering for these plants needs moderate, in most regions they have enough precipitation. Excess water is harmful. Be sure to loosen and mulch the soil, this will not only retain moisture, but will also saturate the roots with air.

Preparation for winter

Before the onset of winter, the foliage of irises is cut at a height of 10-15 cm from the ground with a fan or cone, and the old withered leaves are completely removed. In this state, the bushes remain for the winter. For better frost resistance in late autumn, they can be fed with wood ash.

How to cover new landings

Young irises transplanted only in autumn should be covered with spunbond or a small layer of mulch from dry peat, fallen leaves or needles. Film should not be used for this purpose. After the arrival of winter, landings are additionally covered with snow.

Diseases and pests

There are quite a few diseases in bearded irises, and most of them are a direct result of improper planting or care.

1. Alternaria. Fungal disease, detected by black spots on the leaves. The diseased plant must be destroyed, and neighboring plantings should be treated with fungicides.
   
   

   Black spots on the leaves – a sign of Alternaria

2. Ascochitosis. The appearance of this fungal disease is evidenced by the brown edges of the leaves, which gradually begin to dry out. Affected parts of the plant must be cut off and burned. Prevention of the appearance of ascochitosis is the treatment of flowers with preparations containing copper.
   
   

   Drying of the edges of the leaves may be the result of ascochitosis

3. Rust. When the disease leaves are covered with a brown coating in the form of rounded pads, around which the death of healthy tissue begins. Affected leaves are cut off and burned, plants are treated with preparations containing sulfur.
   
   

   Rust appears on the leaves in the form of rounded brown pads.

No less dangerous for bearded irises are pests, of which this plant has a lot:

1. Iris fly. The insect gnaws the petals, greatly reducing the decorativeness of the flowers. To combat the iris fly, Actellik, Decis preparations are used, some gardeners also use folk remedies, such as tobacco dust, soapy water, water infusions of wormwood, celandine and other bitter herbs.
   
   

   The worst enemy of irises is the iris fly

2. Thrips. Insects feed on cell sap, because of this, the plant withers, dries and may die. They fight thrips by treating plants with karbofos.
   
   

   Thrips can cause serious damage to plants

3. Aphid. On irises, you can often find its bean variety. Numerous insects feed on the sap of the plant, which causes it to dry and wither. They fight aphids with the help of preparations Iskra, Konfidor, Komandor, etc.
   
   

   The bean aphid reproduces rapidly

Prevention of the appearance of diseases and pests is good agricultural technology, keeping the flower beds clean, and following the rules of care.

Conclusion

Bearded irises enjoy well-deserved love of gardeners. These are flowers of universal purpose that can decorate any garden or park, the abundance of varieties with very different characteristics makes them a great tool in the hands of a landscape designer. Bearded irises are unpretentious and undemanding in care, and good frost resistance makes it possible to grow them even in cold regions.