Iris 'Clarence'

Iris 'Clarence': Blue-Violet Blooms Back Again by Fall

Pale blue and white flowers that smell sweet, and then the twist: 'Clarence' comes back for A SECOND ROUND later in the year. The houseguest you actually want to see again.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Iris germanica 'Clarence' (tall bearded iris)
• Common Name: Bearded Iris
• Height: 75–90 cm (30–35 in)
• Spread: 45–60 cm (18–24 in)
• Flowers: Fragrant blue and white bicolour. Pale standards tinted violet, light blue-violet falls and creamy beards, with several buds per stem.
• Bloom Time: Late spring to early summer (June), often reblooming in late summer to fall (September)
• Foliage: Blue-green, sword-shaped leaves in upright fans
• Features: Reblooming, fragrant

Where to Plant: Plant it in a sunny border, a cottage garden or a cutting bed, near a path or patio so you catch the scent. Bearded irises dislike wet clay, so in heavy soils plant it on a slope or in a raised bed where water drains away quickly.

Companion Plants: Eryngium 'Blue Hobbit' adds blue flowers at 25 to 30 cm from June through August, a cool partner at the front. Achillea 'Little Moonshine' brings yellow flowers at 30 to 35 cm from June into September. Aster 'Purple Dome' closes the season with purple flowers from August into October, around the iris rebloom. All three want full sun and good drainage, the same as bearded iris.

Plant Care: Plant the rhizome so its top sits right at the soil surface, with the roots spread out below. Bearded irises rot when buried or mulched over, so keep mulch away from the rhizome. Water through the first season, then only during long dry spells. Rebloomers do best with a little extra help. After the first flush, give it a light feeding with a low-nitrogen fertilizer and water during dry weeks in summer. Cut finished flower stalks down to the base. In fall, remove dead leaves and debris to reduce places for iris borer eggs to overwinter. Divide crowded clumps every three to five years, in July or August after bloom.

History: 'Clarence' was registered in 1991 by Lloyd Zurbrigg, whose interest in irises began in Listowel, Ontario, and who became known for rebloomers suited to short northern seasons. It won the American Iris Society's Wister Medal, its top award for tall bearded irises, in 2000.

Final Thoughts: Full sun, a little neglect and a nose nearby, and the deer leave it be. ENCORE, CLARENCE, ENCORE!