Spuria Iris

Spuria Irises grow larger than the Siberian, form larger clumps and do not like to be transplanted, so allow lots of room when you plant them. You need patience as they may not bloom for 4 or 5 years and if you disturb them by digging you will wait another 4 or 5 years.

The foliage of the one I have in my garden does not seem to die down so I have the same green narrow leaves as the Siberian all summer. They grow tall and stately and can reach up to 4 or 5 feet. The one on the picture seems to have clusters of buds and therefore eventually blooms near the top of the stalk. It might have as many as 7 or 8 buds in this area. One of the problems I encountered was that if you try to remove a dead blossom to make room for the next one you can easily break the next blossom off. In landscaping they are good around water gardens or in naturalistic settings.

Spurias are as easy to grow as Siberians and have most of the same requirements. Plant them two inches deep in very rich soil, compost heavy soil and fertilise as advised for Siberians. Keep moist and mulch in spring to help it retain moisture. Rhizomes are longer and grow out in a straight line from the central planting. Reduce size by removing chunks along the outside, this avoids having to disturb the whole clump.

They are disease and pest resistant. They have colour variations including white , yellow, blue, violet, purple, bronze and some blends. Before you buy make sure you are getting the iris you want as there are dwarf Spurias available as well. If you are expecting a 4 foot plant and end up with one 12 inches in height it could ruin your landscape design.