#Dutch iris full

Fleur-de-Lis Pests Or Diseasesĭutch irises are quite hardy and can tolerate a relatively wide range of conditions, as they are both deer and rabbit resistant.

Finally, when planting in zone 5, you will want to either add a 2″ inch layer of mulch over the plant to insulate it from the winter cold or overwinter the bulbs indoors.īoth seeds and offsets are viable methods of propagating this plant, although you will only be able to divider the offsets every 3 to 4 years.

Prune the plant only when the leaves have died back or remove diseased foliage.

Cut the flower stem off, but be sure to allow the leaves to remain until they’ve yellowed and died back.

Once the blooming is over, you may do the following: You may also wish to deadhead spent blooms to encourage a slightly longer bloom time, although this won’t increase the period by much. It’s safe to cut the flower stems for displays while they’re in bloom. Your Dutch iris will need to be repotted and divided every 3 to 4 years.ĭuring this time, you can discard the central bulb, which is nearing the end of its life, and replace the soil of container plants. Note that you may also wish to add some perlite or coarse sand to aid in drainage.

When adding organic matter, avoid “hot” manures that can encourage fungal disease in Dutch irises, including: However, most lighter garden soils will also work if you add plenty of organic matter. For container plants, use a liquid houseplant fertilizer of the same ratio.ĭutch irises prefer neutral, well-drained soils, although they can tolerate a slightly acidic pH.Ī sandy, loamy soil is best for outdoor plants, and most potting mixes will work perfectly well for container specimens.Outdoor plants will benefit from a 5-10-5 NPK fertilizer in fall, spring, and when the foliage dies back.

Avoid watering when the plant goes dormant, as its bulb can rot easily.Use room temperature water and go slowly around the plant until you see seepage from the container’s drainage holes or the surface begins to absorb the water more slowly.Stick your finger in the soil and water when it feels dry 1” inch down.Watering And Feedingĭutch irises prefer about 1” inch of water per week, which is easy to maintain using the soak-and-dry method. Keep the plantain hot and dry summer weather (or an indoor facsimile) for perennial flowers, or give it some cool, moist summer weather to keep it as an annual. One fascinating detail of growing Dutch irises is that you can influence whether they’re annuals or perennials with ease. Indoors room temperature ranges are perfect, as are normal household humidity levels. When properly insulated, Dutch irises can survive temperature drops as low as -15° degrees Fahrenheit. This hybrid prefers more temperate regions, and it grows best in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9, although the plant will need a little winterproofing in zone 5.

#Dutch iris full

Light And TemperatureĪs with most irises, the Dutch iris prefers full sun, although a bit of afternoon shade in regions where the sun gets harsh can help prevent scorching. This allows many growers to enjoy the plant when it’s normally dormant. One of the great aspects of this plant is that it can be forced to bloom out-of-season in greenhouse-like environments. However, you can also find cultivars displaying other hues like: When planted in the fall, Dutch iris produce blooms the following spring, the exact timing of which depends on temperatures and the cultivar used.Ĭultivars most often bloom at some point between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day, with individual flowers lasting 3 to 5 days and the overall show lasting about 2 weeks.īlooms are 3” to 4” inches across, are usually multi-colored, and have a gentle fragrance. Flowering And FragranceĪmong the different types of Iris varieties, Dutch irises are early bloomers that feather long-lasting flowers over a relatively short bloom period. Individual plants tend to be about 3″ to 6″ inches wide, although they will slowly spread via offshoots when grown as a perennial. ‘White Excelsior’ – Compacted white blooms with a bright yellow stripeĭutch iris is a relatively slow grower and will grow to around 18″ to 24″ inches tall.‘Silvery Beauty’ – Pale blue and white petals with a yellow center.‘Blue Magic’ – Dark violet with bright yellow markings.‘Apollo’ – Blue-tinted white blooms with yellow markings.The hybrid is also parent to a wide range of cultivars, such as: This member of the Iridaceae family can be grown as either a perennial or annual based on temperature and moisture levels and comes in a range of colors that have expanded over the years.īetter known as the several common names: