Iris fulva - American Copper Iris

Regular price £8.95

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  • Approximate height: Foliage: 60cm (24 inches) Flower: 75cm (30 inches)
  • Recommended water depth over crown of plant: 0 - 10cm (0 - 4 inches)
  • Flowering time: May to June
  • Flower colour: Orange-red
  • Supplied in the solid 1 litre pot we grow them in - for best results we recommend potting on using a 2 - 4 litre pot

This little-known North American species deserves more attention among UK gardeners. Awarded an AGM (Award of Garden Merit) by the Royal Horticultural Society, it has wonderfully-unusual copper-red blooms in May/June, which bring a completely new colour into the water garden. It is easy to grow, easy to flower, not fussy about soil, completely frost hardy, and not too tall, but has a less compact growth habit than the other iris species. It has more widely-spaced shoots and spreads on rhizomes which are thinner and faster-growing. Because of this, it should ideally be potted on every year, as it can rapidly reach the edge of its pot. It has much more slender, arching foliage than the other irises, with many flowers on each stem. The foliage is mid-green like that of other irises at the base, tending towards lime-green at the end of the leaves. The overall look is more delicate and exotic than any of the other species. Stock is limited, as demand for this plant is always high. 

Please be advised that these plants are often pushing against the side of their nursery pots by the time they are ready to sell, causing the pots to stretch. 

Please note that all irises may cause skin irritation and are somewhat poisonous if eaten.

If designing a planting scheme, we recommend approximately 2 Iris fulva plants per square foot of ground or 1 plant per linear foot of pond edge. Read more here on how to pot and care for your plant.