Variegated Rabbit-Ear Iris is a marginal deciduous perennial with long, sword-like variegated green foliage with broad cream bands that fans upwards. Sturdy stalks that grow from the center of the plant are topped by large three-parted blue purple flowers with short upright standards and broad falls that have a narrow center crest and bloom from late spring to early summer, attracting bees. Grows best in moist rich soils or 3-6 inches of shallow water.
Type: |
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Origins: |
East Asia |
Height: |
2' - 2.5' |
Spread: |
1' - 1.5' |
Spacing: |
1.5’ |
USDA Hardiness Zone: |
5 - 9 |
Culture: |
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Bloom Color: |
Purple |
Season of Interest: |
MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Medium Maintenance. Water regularly, then occasionally once established. Can cut back any dying foliage after flowering. In winter, it is intolerant of wet or boggy soils- the roots may rot- move to dryer ground for fall and winter.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Water Gardens, Ponds and Streams, Naturalized Areas, Foundation Plantings, and Containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Sedge, Turtlehead, Monkey Flower
IMAGE: Cragrat at the English Wikipedia, Kakitsubata1, CC BY-SA 3.0