1041
Iris
Iris can be grown
successfully in Colorado. They come in many forms, shapes, colors and
sizes and the sword-like foliage is attractive when the plant is not in
bloom. The two most common types of iris grown in Colorado are bearded and
Siberian.
Bearded iris have a flower with three erect petals, called standards, and three drooping petals, called falls. The falls have a hairy center, hence the name bearded iris. Bearded iris do best in full sun and dry, alkaline soils which are prevalent in Colorado.
Siberian iris have more slender leaves than the bearded iris and have blue, purple and white beardless falls. Culture for Siberian iris is much different than the bearded iris. Siberian iris grow best in moist soil, full sun and naturalize well near stream beds.  Iris are relatively carefree; however, they
should be divided every three to four years. Divide the rhizomes, which
are underground stems, after the plants have finished flowering, but no
later than August. Discard any segments that are mushy or riddled with
holes. Separate healthy rhizomes into segments with one fan of leaves and
several feeding roots. Cut the leaves back to six inches. When setting the
new plant, spread the roots out in the soil and position the top third of
the rhizome above the soil surface. Arrange foliage to face outward away
from the center of a group.
For more information, see the following Colorado State Extension fact sheet(s).
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