Iris pallida 'Albovariegata'

Iris pallida 'Albovariegata': Cream-Striped Fans With a Fragrant Bonus

Blue-green leaves striped in creamy white, looking sharp even when nothing's in bloom. Then come lavender-blue flowers with a sweet scent. This iris is DRESSED FOR WORK BEFORE THE ALARM GOES OFF.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iris pallida 'Albovariegata' (also sold as 'Albo Variegata' and 'Argentea Variegata')
• Common Name: Variegated Sweet Iris, Dalmatian Iris
• Height: 60 cm (2 ft) in leaf, with flower stems a little taller
• Spread: 45–50 cm (18–20 in)
• Flowers: Lavender-blue bearded flowers with a sweet fragrance
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Upright, sword-shaped blue-green leaves boldly striped in creamy white
• Features: Fragrant flowers, season-long foliage interest

Where to Plant: Use it as a vertical accent near the front or middle of a sunny border, where the striped fans break up softer, rounder plants. It's also a good choice for gravel gardens and large containers, and the stripes brighten a planting long after the flowers are done.

Companion Plants: Use the cream-striped leaves of this iris in a sunny, well-drained bed with lemon pea flowers and late pink. Sedum SunSparkler® 'Blue Pearl' adds blue leaves and hot pink flowers at 15 to 20 cm in August and September. Allium 'Millenium' brings rose-purple globes at 30 to 50 cm in July and August. Baptisia Decadence® 'Lemon Meringue' adds lemon-yellow spikes at 90 cm in June and July. Elymus canadensis stands behind at 90 to 150 cm with nodding, bristly seed heads.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to light shade in well-drained soil. Set the rhizome right at the soil surface, or just barely covered. Burying it too deep invites rot. On clay, improve drainage with compost or plant on a slight rise. Water through the first season, then only in long dry spells. Cut off the flower stems after blooming. Leave the foliage up through the season, since it's the main attraction. Tidy away dead or brown leaves in late fall or early spring. Divide every few years in late summer, when the clump gets crowded. Replant healthy pieces of rhizome with a fan of leaves attached.

History: Iris pallida is native to the Dalmatian coast of Croatia, where it grows on rocky limestone slopes, and its dried rhizome is orris root, used for centuries to scent perfume, linens and gin. Variegated forms of the species have been grown in gardens for generations, prized as much for their foliage as for their flowers.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant, drought tolerant once established and good-looking all season. Plant it where the stripes catch the light. PINSTRIPES ARE BACK.