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 ornamental ones; they are used to decorate personal plots, park areas, and gardens. A variety of these flowers are bearded irises; they are one of the largest groups of perennials, with many varieties of different sizes and colors.

General description of bearded irises

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

Bearded irises are the most numerous group of these plants.

Why is the bearded iris called that?

Bearded irises get their name from the numerous hairs located at the base of the petals. They form the characteristic “beard”.

The characteristic “beard” of hairs on the petals gives this type of irise its name.

Classification of varieties of bearded irises

Bearded irises are classified according to several characteristics. These are 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, which are indicated on the packaging with planting material.

Classification of bearded irises by peduncle height (table):

Classification of bearded irises according to the beginning of flowering (table):

Classification of bearded irises by color pattern 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 does the bearded iris bloom?

Bearded iris flowers look very unusual. The perianth consists of 6 petal lobes, 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 (inner lobes) are called standards. Hidden behind them is a pistil, which has 3 wide lobes, as well as numerous stamens. The petals of the bearded iris have a wavy edge, often called lace.

Irises bloom very beautifully, regardless of color

Irises begin to bloom quite early.In regions with warm climates, dwarf varieties can bloom as early as early April, followed by buds appearing on medium-sized plants. The largest varieties bloom at the end of May. If you choose the right species, 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. The critical temperature for most of them is a cooling of -12-14 °C, and for some, even half that temperature may well be fatal. For this reason, in most regions of Russia, irises need some kind of shelter for the winter.

The best varieties of bearded irises

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

Succes Fou

Bearded iris Success Fu is a large variety with a mid-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.

Success Fu, despite its great height, can be grown without tying up

Medici Prince

Prince Medici is one of the large varieties of bearded irises with a two-tone color. Peduncles are strong, stable, and can reach a height of 1 m.The outer perianth lobes 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 with a medium flowering period is classified as tall. Peduncles grow to a height of 0.9-0.95 m. The petals have a strongly corrugated edge. The standards are light apricot in color with a creamy tint, with pinkish central veins. The fouls are burgundy with a small cream border. The Decadence beard is orange with a tangerine tint.

The edges of the Falls of the Decadence variety are painted in the same tone as the standards

Devil's Lake

It’s not for nothing that this variety of bearded irises is called “Devil’s Lake”; there is something mystical about it. Its petals have a uniform 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 is a tall, late-flowering variety.

Very unusually colored bearded iris – Devils Lake

Magical Glow

A very bright and eye-catching variety of tall bearded irises with tangerine-orange monochromatic fall colors; the standards have a bronzed tint and are slightly more ruffled. The beard is tangerine-red. Flowering period is average. Peduncles can grow a little more than 1 m.

Magical Glu is a tall variety

Sultan Palace

The variety belongs to the border variety, the 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 fouls are darker, with black markings along the edges of the petals. The beard is yellow.

Important! Sultan Palace irises are excellent cut flowers.

Irises Sultan Palace are well suited for cutting

Supreme Sultan

Supreme Sultan is an excellent decorative variety of bearded irises with a two-color color. Standards are yellow-orange, with a pumpkin tint; fouls have a rich, velvety mahogany color. The beard is tangerine-burgundy. The peduncles of Supreme Sultan are tall, growing up to 0.9-1 m. Flowering is very late.

Very late flowering variety - Supreme Sultan

Pink Taffeta

Bearded iris Pink Taffeta is classified as a border plant; its height is usually 0.7-0.8 m. The fouls and standards are pink, wavy, the beard is light carrot-colored. Blooms late, in June. The flowering period of Pink Taffeta is about 3 weeks.

The border variety Pink Taffeta has lacy petals

Kopatonic

This variety of lacy bearded irises is considered one of the most beautiful. The standards are light brown, with a creamy tint, the fouls have a ruby-brown velvety color, the border is light. Copatonic petals are heavily ruffled and the beard is mustard-colored. Belongs to mid-early varieties, peduncles grow up to 0.8-0.85 m.

One of the most decorative varieties of bearded irises is Kopatonic.

Torero

The bearded iris of the mid-late flowering period Torero can grow up to 0.8-0.9 m. The color is very bright, catchy, the standards are orange, apricot in color, the fouls are brick-red, velvety, lighter rays are clearly visible near the carrot-colored beard.

Iris Torero has a very bright color

Wabash

It is classified as tall, flower stalks can grow up to 0.9 m. The flowering period is average, the first buds appear in early June. Wabash standards are snow-white, the lower lobes are violet-blue, inky in color, with a thin white blurred border.The beard is golden.

Wabash is an old and well-established variety of bearded irises.

Ever After

This is a mid-late variety of bearded irises, growing to a height of 0.9-0.95 m. The fouls and standards are corrugated, colored lilac, lighter in the center of the petal. Tangerine beard.

Ever After's highly corrugated petals add splendor to the flower

Bearded irises in landscape design + photo

Among landscape designers, special beds intended only for irises - iridariums - are especially popular. Varieties with different flowering periods are planted on them so that the process is continuous. The photo below shows 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, lining alleys and garden paths with them; they are often planted along fences, walls, and architectural objects.

Irises look great as border plants

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

Irises look especially beautiful near 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, to which you need to add a little superphosphate and ash. It is not recommended to use organic fertilizers when growing irises at home.

It is better to grow short irises on the balcony

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

Peculiarities of reproduction of bearded irises

The most common method of propagating varietal bearded irises is by dividing the rhizomes. Over time, the root of this plant grows greatly, neighboring plantings begin to interfere with each other, and the quality of the flowers decreases. To avoid this situation, once every 4 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 correctly

Before planting bearded irises, you need to choose the right variety suitable for growing in the local climate, and also 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, and on hillsides facing the sun. The soil should be loose, breathable, with an acidity level close to neutral.

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

Iris rhizome is planted on a special mound

Planting bearded irises is easy.The rhizomes are planted in shallow holes, in the center of which a mound of earth is poured, and the roots are spread along its sides. After this, the holes are filled up, 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 neighboring 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.

Caring for Bearded Irises

Caring for bearded irises is easy. For abundant flowering, they need to be fed from time to time with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers, usually this is done during autumn planting, early spring and in the budding phase. As a rule, organics are not used for irises. These plants need moderate watering; in most regions, precipitation is sufficient for them. 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.

Preparing for winter

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

How to cover new plantings

It is advisable to cover young irises transplanted only in the fall with spunbond or a small layer of mulch from dry peat, fallen leaves or pine needles. The film cannot be used for this purpose. After the arrival of winter, the plantings are additionally covered with snow.

Diseases and pests

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

1. Alternaria blight. A fungal disease detected by black spots on the leaves. The diseased plant must be destroyed and neighboring plantings treated with fungicides.
   
   

   Black spots on the leaves are a sign of Alternaria blight.

2. Ascochytaosis. The appearance of this fungal disease is indicated by the brown edges of the leaves, which gradually begin to dry out. The affected parts of the plant must be torn off and burned. To prevent the appearance of ascochyta blight, treat flowers with preparations containing copper.
   
   

   Drying of leaf edges may be a consequence of ascochyta blight.

3. Rust. When the disease occurs, the leaves become covered with a brown coating in the form of rounded pads, around which healthy tissue begins to die. Affected leaves are torn off and burned, and the 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 many:

1. Iris fly. The insect gnaws off the petals, greatly reducing the decorative value of the flowers. To combat the iris fly, the drugs Actellik and Decis are used; some gardeners also use folk remedies, such as tobacco dust, soap solution, aqueous infusions of wormwood, celandine and other bitter herbs.
   
   

   The worst enemy of irises is the iris fly.

2. Thrips. Insects feed on cell sap, which causes the plant to wither, dry out and may die. Thrips are controlled 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, causing it to dry out and wither. They fight aphids with the help of drugs Iskra, Konfidor, Komandor, etc.
   
   

   Bean aphids multiply quickly

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

Conclusion

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

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