Iris in Central Texas!

Lisa's Landscape & Design ♦ 04/24/2015 ♦ 7 Comments

Did you know the Bearded Iris is an excellent Xeriscape plant for the Central Texas landscape? Well, it is and happens to be one of my absolute favorite plants for so many beautiful reasons. Iris are stunning plants named after the Greek goddess who rode rainbows and rightfully so. They come in a beautiful array of colors and are highly coveted by gardeners everywhere as a lovely addition to the landscape.

This is my nuisance strip which includes dwf Boxwood, Salvia Greggi and Bearded Iris. Little to no maintenance, very low water and magnificent color in spring from the Iris, then all summer from Salvia Greggi. It is alaso evergreen which is a big plus.

Variety

 The two most common low water Iris are bearded and dutch and both do well in central Texas. Louisiana Iris also do well if you have a boggy, pond or a wet spot but for low water. They are spring blooming and reseeding. 

Louisiana Iris

Bearded and Dutch Iris come in a rainbow of colors and are as fragrant as they are lovely. Iris prefer sun, well drained soil and like any other plant, lots of great compost in the spring.

White dutch iris in a Xeriscape bed with drift rose and fruit trees.

Dutch Iris are bulbs, not rhizomes and will not need to be divided the same way. In fact it is not necessary to divide until they take up too much space. When you’re ready to divide, you can simply dig up a section at a time and spread throughout your space or share them with friends.

Dutch Iris is similar to the Siberian Iris in shape and limited colors but the dutch is shorter at 2-2.5′ where the Siberian can reach 3′.

 Dutch Iris are not available in as many colors as the Bearded varieties but it is also super drought tolerant and the blooms last longer than Bearded Iris last. Much like the bearded, they make excellent cutting flowers.

Evergreen 

Iris have lovely blue/green foliage all year-long and you do not need to cut back the leaves after their bloom season but you can cut back spent bloom stems and dried leaves after the blooming season.

Here we have yellow, blue, white and pink colored iris that fill the spring garden with color until the returning perennials get their footing.

Maintenance 

 Iris require very little maintenance to speak of during the year but for a little removal of dried leaves and stems. After the bloom season and a need for being separated every three or so years.

Unlike the dutch iris that is a bulb, the bearded iris are rhyzomes and this is what it loook like removed from the ground

The first step to dividing bearded Iris is to remove them from the ground with as much root as possible.

Remove any large rhizomes from the cluster of plants. (this is the large potato looking thing to the left.)

Now separate the living plants from the rest of the rhizomes and be sure to include roots systems with each separation. This can be done by cutting the pieces with a sharp tool or by gently breaking the sections apart with your hands.  

Here is where you separate any left over rhizome pieces from the cluster of plants and place them into separate piles. The old spent rhizomes are discarded into the compost pile and the viable plants can be replanted. 

This is what the spent mother looks like. Remove the growing pups (below) with attached roots and plant or share them with friends. 

Planting

Bearded Iris are super easy to plant and unlike a bulb do not want to be planting very deeply. Bearded Iris in particular (a rhizome) prefer to buried in a shallow hole where the rhizome can dry thoroughly between watering.

Striking, stately and elegant.

Beautiful with companion plants or on their own.

 Iris are excellent in perennial beds and make a great filler for spaces between color cycles in the spring.

A vibrant array of colors and bloom times make this low water plant and excellent choice for our landscapes.

Divide your bearded iris after the bloom season every three years as needed, do not over water or use chemical fertilizers and you will have beautiful color year after wonderful year. I love to give iris as gifts because it is the gift that keeps on giving and every year when the new flowers bloom, the recipient is reminded of you 😉

Lisa Lapaso

Lisa’s Landscape and Design (“like” me on Facebook!)

“Saving the Planet One Yard at a Time”