The bearded iris is usually planted as a rhizome in the garden soil just below the surface of the earth. The plants, which are generally relatively easy to care for, are characterized by the fact that the different varieties have very different growth characteristics, flowering times and location requirements.

The Iris barbata 'Helen Proctor' impresses with its impressive colouring

The three groups of bearded iris varieties of different heights

The bearded iris, which was created by crossing Iris variegata and Iris palida, is now enjoying increasing popularity worldwide, so that breeding attempts have already produced well over 200 different varieties. In order to be able to better organize the very heterogeneous varieties, they are usually grouped into three large groups based on their height:

  • the Barbata Nana group
  • the Barbata Media group
  • the Barbata-Eliator group

While the Barbata Nana group is the lowest varieties of bearded iris, the Barbata Media group includes the medium-sized varieties. In the Barbata-Eliator group, on the other hand, there are varieties of bearded iris that reach particularly high growth heights.

Particularly popular varieties of bearded iris

Among the "small" bearded iris varieties, the varieties 'Melon Honey', 'Little Bucaneer' and 'Fairy Ballet' are particularly popular. Among the medium-tall varieties, the varieties 'Swizzle', 'Arctic Fancy' and 'Con Brio' are particularly popular. The varieties of the Barbata-Eliator group that are particularly popular are 'Champagne Waltz', 'Provencal', and 'Old Black Magic'.

A particularly magnificent bearded iris variety

The Iris barbata-media 'Helen Proctor' is a medium-tall bearded iris variety, which is characterized by its special flower colour. The flowers are colored almost deep black at the base, while fading into an enchanting purple towards the top. This variety flowers early and has relatively small flowers that last a particularly long time.

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The special attraction of the bearded iris lies in the fact that different varieties with different heights and different flower colors can be combined with each other. Since the different varieties flower at different times between spring and midsummer, a long flowering period can be achieved in a perennial bed full of bearded irises.

Category:

Vegetable garden