Spring is a delightful time of year with many kinds of flowers available, including the irises. Here is some iris that I recommend for cut flowers.


Japanese Iris

The Japanese iris is perfect for using in bouquets. You can also use this in arrangement as accent or mass flowers. They have a vase life of about a week.

There are several reasons these are a hit with floral designers. First, the group tends to bloom much later than most other irises. The blossoms are especially large—up to five inches in diameter.

Towards the very center are touches of yellow. Depending on the variety, these flowers come in various colors. Among these are pinks, purples, white, and yellows. Some have intriguing contrasting stripes. The stems grow to almost three feet in height.

These are hardy in zones five through nine. They do well in partial shade and full sun. These resist deer browsing.


Siberian iris

These have lovely blossoms that bear a remote resemblance to orchids. They open sometime between late spring and early summer. The flowers can last for about a week. These are used as a form flower, and are perfect for bouquets. The dried seed pods make a great everlasting.

The outer three petals are called falls, while the interior ones are referred to as standards.

These flowers are available in a wide range of colors. Usually, they will be bicolors with contrasting patches near the throat. There is a pure white that is just gorgeous. One of the bluish-purple ones has silver along the edges and a whitish-yellow patch near the center.

Butter and Sugar Siberian iris is a refined bicolor. This has white standards, while the falls are golden yellow.

Good Omen Siberian iris is a wonderful double purple flowered variety. It has darker purple veins and bright yellow centers.

Momogasumi Siberian iris is a delightful pastel pink. The golden yellow hearts are especially large, and stand out beautifully.

Sparkling Rose Siberian iris was introduced a couple of years ago. This is reddish-rose with a creamy yellow blotch.

Stippled Ripples Siberian iris is a sensational mix of white and violet-red. Along the ruffled edges and in random patterns there are streaks of violet-red on a white background. The yellow veins in the center also add interest.

Siberian irises reach about two to three feet in height, just perfect for cut flowers. These are recommended for zones three through nine. They are resistant to deer. Plant them in full sun or partial shade.