Sometimes pond owners feel a little limited by the plants they can buy that will thrive in their wet environments. Especially when you are looking for natives to restore wetlands and ponds! There are lots of leafy options or grassy options or mossy options, but the palette is pretty limited to greens and grays.
If you feel that way then you need to check out the swamp-loving, free-flowering, easy-care native Water Iris Versicolor (Iris versicolor)! These hard to find ornamental plants don’t mind wet feet and bloom continually from late spring to mid summer. Another bonus that native plants come with, they attract pollinators! Sit back and take in the beautiful butterflies that will wander through your garden on the hunt for nectar.
The flowers are striking jeweled shades of purples and lavenders with ticks of yellow and white. They are often called Blue Flag because they wave in the wind on top of long, strong, wand-like stems with upright green sword-like foliage.
Even when not in bloom, the grassy, strap-like leaves are handsome reflecting in the water of your pond or fountain. Being a native herbaceous perennial, you know that it is hardy and will reward you for years to come. Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 3 to 9, Iris grows by underground rhizomes that politely spread to form tidy clumps.
Planting and Application:Water Iris are an easy-care and strikingly beautiful addition to any water garden as they are in average landscape conditions! But Water Iris are especially happy when they have wet feet! So plant them where these natives can ramble through the marshy areas, along riverbanks and streams, the Rain Garden, or where the HVAC unit and gutters drain.
Mix and match this impressive native with its close cousin, the Purple Flame Iris, or other water garden plants for pretty watery hues all growing season long! These lovely natives handle a wide range of conditions and weather, blooming reliably year after year in the sun!
Pollinator, mixed perennial and cut flower gardens too are great locations for these natives, just be sure to provide some extra water! Drifts and en masse plantings of blossoms politely ramble along, forming tidy borders in Cottage gardens or long rows along your foundation.
Beautiful Multi-Colored Flags & Falls
Upright Stems & Sword-Like Foliage
Blooms for Many Months
Wonderful in Pollinator Gardens & Cut Flowers
Stunning Water Feature & Rain Gardens, Great for Wetlands & Garden Accents
#ProPlantTips for Care:This native perennial likes full sun best along with wet, borderline soggy, soils. If you don’t have a water feature in your yard, consider planting in areas too wet for other garden staples. Water Iris will thrive even in average moisture conditions and well-drained gardens too! Any sunny site in average garden conditions needs a 3-4 inch thick layer of arborist mulch chips to help hold in moisture better.
Deadhead and remove flowering stems when done blooming, and in fall cut plant foliage down to a few inches to clean them up before winter. Every 3-5 years, it’s recommended you divide your clumps to maintain their vigor and remove any old rhizomes.
Full Sun Easy-Care Perennials
Moderate to High Moisture Needs
Well-Drained Enriched Soil That Won’t Become Stagnant
Deadhead After Bloom & Prune Late Fall/Winter
Hardy & Carefree Once Established
Add color to your pond landscaping this year. Add some Water Iris Versicolor today from Nature Hills! You’ll boost native wildflowers that support local ecosystems and wildlife in your area!
