Sensation Japanese Iris

If you aren’t familiar with Japanese Iris – and many gardeners aren’t – then you are in for a sensational treat with this aptly-named plant. The flowers have a very different look to the more familiar bearded iris because the flowers have a horizontal structure, and appear to float in the air. With very large blooms, 5 inches across, hovering above the slender, spear-like foliage, they are a joy to behold, and will hold you transfixed by their beauty. The flowers have 6 broad, flat petals held horizontally, which are colored a superb royal-purple, accented by a striking slash of gold at their base. The narrow leaves grow to 2 feet tall, and make a bold, vertical accent when the plant isn’t in flower. This is a plant for water, and grows best beside a pond, or in the damp corner of your Japanese-themed garden, perhaps with a small fern at its base. It will also grow well in rich, moist regular garden soil, but be aware that it isn’t drought tolerant.

• Huge, blow-you-away blooms of deep purple with gold accents
• Excellent upright foliage gives strong vertical accents
• An must-have for your Japanese-themed garden
• Thrives in hot and humid summers, but tolerates winter cold too
• Excellent beside water, or in moist, regular garden conditions

Choose a spot in full-sun for your Sensation Japanese Iris. It grows easily in any rich garden soil, and also in wet soil, such as beside a pond or stream. Planted in a large pot you can stand it in your garden pond during the growing season. It isn’t drought tolerant, but does grow best if it drier during the winter months. Cold-hardy to zone 4 (but bury that pot in the ground for winter in zones 4 and 5), but happy in the southeast as well. Completely free of the nasty pests and diseases that bearded iris get. Little care is needed, just cut out flowering stems once they are over, and cut back the leaves in fall once they yellow – be careful not to cut the new leaves which often sprout at the base in fall.