Iris 'White Swirl'

Iris 'White Swirl': The Flaring White That Rewrote the Rules

Big, clear white flowers with falls that flare out almost flat, like somebody snapped open a paper fan at a stuffy dinner party. 'White Swirl' cools down the whole border and LOOKS GORGEOUS DOING IT.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iris sibirica 'White Swirl'
• Common Name: Siberian Iris
• Height: 80–100 cm (31–39 in)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Large, clear white with a yellow glow at the base of the falls. The falls flare out almost horizontally.
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (May to June)
• Foliage: Narrow, upright, grass-like dark green leaves
• Features: Tolerates moist soil, good cut flower, seed pods for winter interest

Where to Plant: Use it in the middle of a border, in a rain garden, or along a pond edge, where the tall, slim clumps add vertical lines and the leaves stay tidy all season. White carries well at dusk, so it shines near a patio or deck.

Companion Plants: Plant 'White Swirl' in a moist bed in sun or part shade with dark blue delphiniums and lavender meadow rue. Heuchera 'Palace Purple' adds bronze-purple foliage at 20 to 30 cm. Delphinium Laser Beam™ brings dark blue-purple spires at 60 to 75 cm from June to September. Thalictrum 'Lavender Mist' floats lavender sprays at 120 to 180 cm in July and August. Deschampsia 'Northern Lights' edges the bed with cream-striped blades at 30 to 40 cm.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun to part sun in moist, fertile soil that's neutral to slightly acidic. It tolerates clay. Set the rhizomes about 2.5 cm (1 in) deep. Water well through the first year and during dry spells after that. Remove spent flower stems if you don't want seed pods, or leave them for winter interest. Cut the foliage down in late fall or early spring. Divide when the centre of the clump starts to die out, in late summer or early spring. Keep the divisions moist until they root in.

History: Fred Cassebeer, a New York pharmacist and amateur hybridizer, raised 'White Swirl' and introduced it in the 1950s, and its flaring falls were a big change from the drooping form of older Siberians. It won the Morgan Award in 1962, and in 1987 the American Iris Society gave it a Board of Directors Award for its influence on breeding, since more than 100 registered Siberians descend from it.

Final Thoughts: Deer resistant, happy in moist soil, and the seed pods hang around for winter. Plant it once and IT KEEPS GIVING ALL YEAR.