• NATURE ATTRACTION- The leaves look like zebras and the flowers
smell like grape candy! Deer and rabbit resistant, this variety is the most
reliable and disease-resistant of the tall bearded iris.
• KEY TIPS – Over watering will cause the rhizomes to rot. They will grow
in any garden soil as long as good drainage exists. They are great for
edging garden borders, walkways, mass plantings, or specimen plants.
• SHELF LIFE – Plant in garden immediately after the night temperatures
stay above 35 degrees.
• PLANT PREPARATION- Cut away any yellow or brown leaves or broken
stems that may have occurred. This grooming is completely normal and
will take place as the plant grows.
• POTTED PLANTS – Rather than the garden you may re-pot into large
containers. Repot the plants into at least 12 inch pots separately or
together inside one larger container.
• SOIL PREPARATION – They will grow in any garden soil as long as good
drainage exists. If your soil is clayish amend it with a standard garden soil
for adequate moisture retentiveness.
• GARDEN PREPARATION – Pick a sunny location that can be easily
viewed for the flower’s beauty. Borders, perimeters, and walkways are a
great location.
• PLANTING DEPTH and SPACING - Plant separately spacing about 18-24
inches. Dig holes twice the width of the root ball and about 5-6 inches
deep. Place them in their holes. Cover with only an inch or two of soil and
pack soil firmly around root. Do not bury too deeply as this can reduce
blooms.
• PLANT HEIGHT – Their relatively short stature of 30-40 inches make
them great for edging borders.
WATER - Water thoroughly upon planting and once a week thereafter.
They do well in hot, dry spots once established.
• FERTILIZER – This helps maintain flower size and count from year to
year. For best results, use Roberta’s Flower Magic Plant Food (M7503)
once in the spring, once after they bloom, and once in the autumn.
• LIGHTING -Full sun is preferred.
• BLOOMING – These plants will bloom late spring to early summer every
year.
• TEMPERATURE ZONE 3 to 10- These are hardy down to minus 40
degrees below 0.
• WINTER DORMANCY – After the first heavy frost, plants will harden on
the old growth and lose their foliage.
• PRUNING- These need no pruning. Let them die back in the winter and
remove the dried foliage the following spring.
• PROPAGATING- Division is recommended every 3-4 years in late summer
to maintain healthy plants and achieve maximum bloom. Dig up the
entire clump. Carefully use a sharp knife or garden shears to cut apart rhizomes.
Discard old, woody center keeping only the rhizomes around the
outer edge of the clump. Re-plant covering the top only with 1-2 inches
of soil.
• CUT FLOWERS – These make wonderful fragrant flowers for your cut
flower garden. You may cut as much or as little as you like to use for
flower arrangements.
• STAKING – The flower stems need no staking if planted in full sun.
