Siberian irises - gentle beauty and a minimum of worries

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Irises are spectacular, luxurious, attractive flowers that have long and firmly settled in our gardens. But, as usual, in any large family there are all caressed minions, and deprived of attention “poor relatives”. So at one time surprisingly unpretentious and hardy Siberian irises turned out to be undeservedly relegated to the background - a real find for gardeners, especially in the northern regions.

But now it was time for them to recognize: breeders drew attention to these graceful and elegant plants, and the attractive varieties created by them interested gardeners. Siberian irises began to emerge from the shadows of their more widely known relatives.

Botanical certificate

From a botanical point of view, Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) Is a rhizome perennial herb belonging to the genus Iris. Plant height - up to 110 cm; narrow (about 4 cm wide) linear leaves reach 50-80 cm in length. The flowers are purple, medium-sized (with a diameter of 4 to 7 cm). It is found in wild form in moist lowlands and meadows in central and eastern parts of Europe, as well as in North Asian regions.

However, flower growers, speaking of Siberian irises, often mean a section that combines a number of wild-growing species and interspecific hybrids created on their basis. In addition to the above Iris sibirica, it includes iris blood red, or Oriental (Iris sanguinea), horned iris (Iris typhifolia) other.

The plants included in this section are very diverse. Their height varies from 45 to 160 cm; expressive green xiphoid leaves remain decorative throughout the season, without falling apart and not falling. When planting, it should be borne in mind that some varieties grow quite quickly and strongly, while others grow slowly - this feature must be clarified by choosing planting material.

The color of the flowers is white, yellow, wine red, various shades of blue, lilac; many varieties have contrasting veins forming a beautiful “marble” pattern on the petals; a lot of two-tone varieties. Flowering periods are also different: early flowering varieties bloom in May, while later varieties only in July; exist and re-flowering.

The latest achievements in the selection of Siberian irises are presented in assortment Agroholding "SEARCH". Pay attention, for example, to an amazing novelty - Having FanW (‘Having Fun’) - with large terry purple-pink flowers. The iris petals of this variety have a bright yellow-orange spot at the base, turning into white and then - in lilac color with purple streaks.

Fans of saturated colors may like an elegant variety Miss Apple (‘Miss Apple’), in which the lower petals have a dense burgundy-purple color with a yellow signal, and the upper ones have a delicate lilac-pink.

Siberian irises - solid benefits

What else, in addition to external attractiveness, are Siberian irises good? These flowers can undoubtedly please an eternally busy summer resident with their unpretentiousness and endurance. Judge for yourself…

They are winter hardy

Siberian irises do not need shelter for the winter, are not afraid of frost and tolerate even snowless winters well. But they can be grown not only in the northern regions: these plants are suitable for frost resistance zones from 3 to 9 - which means that they are able to grow in Sochi, in the gardens near Moscow, and in Vladivostok.

They are undemanding to the soil

They will not be hindered by low fertility or acidity of the soil; they can grow in a variety of conditions (although extremes, of course, should be avoided: on very acidic or strongly alkaline soil, on poor and dry stony or marshy success is not to be expected). The best option is dense, moisture-intensive loam with a pH of 5.5-6.5.

They are resistant to adverse conditions.

The sturdy stems of Siberian irises do not break in the wind; they do not need supports and garters. These plants tolerate both short-term flooding in the spring-summer period, and short drought.

They almost do not get sick

Siberian irises are practically not affected by the diseases from which their brethren suffer; in particular, they are immune to the worst enemy of irises - bacteriosis. In conditions of constant overmoistening, fungal diseases can occur, but they are easy to prevent: do not allow stagnation of water at the planting site.

For all their undemanding nature, these flowers retain the refined beauty and expressiveness inherent in irises; a fascinating game of their shades I want to admire endlessly.

Pay attention to the chic Pink Parfait (‘Pink Parfait’), because this iris resembles a rose in shape - unexpectedly, right? A two-tone "Rikugi Sakura" (‘Rikugi Sakura’) attracts with its original flower shape - with small, strongly open upper petals - and contrasting color.

If you have long dreamed of irises in the garden, but you were stopped by the high demands of these handsome men, unpretentious "Siberians" will help to realize your dream. And in the ever-expanding assortment of varieties, there will certainly be those that will conquer your heart.

Planting Siberian irises, growing and caring for them

If you want to minimize Siberian iris care, create optimal conditions for them. One of the most important good lightdepends on it how plentiful and long flowering will be.

The ability of Siberian irises to grow on almost any soil significantly expands the possibilities of their use in the garden. Not enough nutrients? Feed the plants twice a season (in early spring and before flowering). Is the soil too loose and dry? Add clay and compost or humus when planting, and mulch the surface well to save moisture. If moisture, on the contrary, is in excess - take care of drainage to avoid stagnation of water. Siberian irises can adapt to a variety of conditions, and lush and long flowering will respond to your care.

When planting, place the rhizome in the planting hole vertically so that from its top to the soil surface there are 2-3 cm. The distance between plants is from 60 to 100 cm (depending on the growth rate of the selected varieties). In the future, planting care is reduced to watering in dry weather and pruning flower stalks with wilted flowers.

Use in garden design

The beauty of Siberian irises is discreet, delicate, refined. These are ideal plants for gardens in a natural (English) style. Due to the variety of colors, it is easy to choose varieties for a wide variety of garden compositions, so there will be no problems with the choice of companions.

A great place for irises is on the shore of a garden pond, where they look very natural and can be placed not only surrounded by other coastal plants, but also solo. By the way, these flowers look best in group plantings - plant them with curtains (do not forget to observe the recommended intervals between plants).

Airy flowers of irises similar to fluttering butterflies look wonderful against the background of ornamental shrubs and hedges (including conifers).

If you are looking for fresh ideas for the new season, take a look at the varieties:

Moon Silk ’
Harpswell Happiness (’Harpswell Happiness’)
Емон Lemon Veil ’

Decoration of the garden is not only flowers, but also leaves, the attractiveness of which is maintained throughout the season. Tall varieties cope well with the placement of vertical accents in floral arrangements.

The assortment of Agroholding "SEARCH" 40 different varieties of Siberian irises for every taste.

You can see and purchase the entire range on the website online.semenasad.ru.

Do you see Siberian irises growing in your garden?

Author: Shcherbakova Oksana, Head of Bulbous and Perennial Herb Plants.