Iris Flower Care

Iris is a beautiful garden plant belonging to the family Iridaceae with showy, beautiful somewhat oddly shaped flowers that make them a popular choice in gardens and floral arrangements. Before we can learn more on iris flower care, let us take a look at some of the interesting facts about the iris flowers. The iris flower is considered the sacred flower of Iris, the Greek goddess for the messenger of love. It thus symbolizes communication and messages, and stands for eloquence and beauty. Also based on their color, the iris flowers convey varied messages. Therefore, while the purple iris flower is symbolic of wisdom and compliments, blue iris signifies faith and hope. The flower meaning of a yellow iris flower is passion, while the meaning of a white iris is purity.

The name is derived from the Greek word for rainbow. This is because of the wide variety of iris flower colors which can range from blue and purple, white and yellow, pink and orange, brown and red, and even black. In fact the genus Iris has about 200 species which are native to Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. However, there are two major groups of irises known as the rhizome iris and bulbous iris. Classified as perennial herbs, Iris plants grow from either rhizomes or bulbs. The two most common type of Irises grown are the Bearded and the Siberian Irises. Members of the genus Iris bloom between the months of February and May, depending on the species. Here are some tips on iris flower care to help the budding gardening enthusiasts.

Tips for Iris Flower Care

Planting Site Preparation: Before planting the iris plant, you need to choose a planting location for your Iris flowers. The requirements for the location should be that the place should receive between six and eight hours of direct sunlight each day, and have good air circulation. Two weeks prior to planting the Iris rhizomes the soil needs to be prepared by spreading two to three inches of organic compost over the planting site. Use a tiller to break the soil up and mix in the compost and remove any visible rocks, which can serve as an impediment to the root system.

Iris Flower Planting: Dig a hole large enough to hold the Iris rhizome and form a small cone in the bottom of the hole. This allows the pointed tip of the rhizome to emerge from the surface. Now place the rhizome in the hole, and spread the roots out as much as possible. Fill the hole with soil, and water. This should help compact the soil around the roots and fill up any air pockets in it. Allow a space of at least eight inches before planting the other Iris rhizomes in order to allow sufficient room for root growth.

Watering Requirements: For encouraging a nice flush of blooms you need to keep to keep the the soil moist (not wet). Water the Iris rhizomes, thrice a week and then reduce it to twice a week after growth begins. This should be done so as to allow the soil to dry slightly between watering. In winters the iris flowers need to be watered just once a week and only on weeks with no rainfall.

Fertilizing and Mulching: An important part of the iris flower care is fertilization. You need to use fertilizer once a month during spring and summer. In the fall and winter seasons, fertilization is not needed as the Iris plants do not absorb all of the nutrients and the excessive fertilizers in the soil can result in root burn. Water the soil after applying the fertilizer to help it integrate into the earth. Also, just before frost every season you need to spread the mulch around the Iris plants. This prevents the temperature of the soil from fluctuating, resulting from constant freezing and thawing.

Iris Flower Care and Maintenance: Once the flowers have faded to an inch or two above the rhizome, cut the flower stalks back. This should prevent seed formation and allow vigorous growth. In the fall season you need to cut the leaves back to 6-8 inches above the ground to prevent future insect and disease problems. If heaving occurs, it is best not to force the plants back into the soil and instead, cover the rhizomes and the roots that are exposed with some soil.

As for the bearded iris flower care, after 3 to 5 years, once the clumps become crowed, it may be beneficial to divide them 4 to 6 weeks after flowering. This can be done by cutting the leaves to one-third their length. Now dig up the clump and wash the soil off the roots and rhizomes. Then divide the iris by cutting the rhizomes apart so each section has at least one or two healthy fan of leaves, a firm rhizome, and white roots. Read more on the different types of flowers.

There are many flowers that represent some form of human quality, for more information you can refer to the list of flower names and meanings of flowers.

Flowers come in all kinds of shades and colors, however, not all of us know the significance and the meaning of the color of flowers. The iris as mentioned above symbolizes faith and hope, so taking care of them will let the same quality bloom in you, Although it is true that iris flowers are easy to plant, require minimum care, and readily multiply, appropriate iris flower care can help you enjoy the blossoms of this perennial flower for many years to come.