Flowers · Bulbs
Reticulata iris
Iris reticulata
A small late-winter iris with violet falls and a yellow signal, often lightly scented. It is best in a raised bed, gravel, or a pot that dries in summer.
Growing conditions
Soilchalk, loam, sand
Moisturewell-drained
pHneutral, alkaline
Position
SunFull sun
Aspecteast, south, west
Exposuresheltered, exposed
HardinessH7
Size
Time to maturityFlowers the first late winter
Max height0.1–0.2 m
Max spread0.1–0.1 m
In the garden
Plant 8 cm deep in autumn. Wet summer soil is the usual reason bulbs fail to return.
Ink disease spots the bulbs. Birds sometimes pull at the flowers.
Colour and scent
A mark in a season means the plant is doing that for at least part of it.
| Season | Foliage | Flower | Scent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | Leaves | violet | Scented |
| Summer | — | — | — |
| Autumn | — | — | — |
| Winter | Leaves | violet | Scented |
- JanDormant
- Febviolet
- Marviolet
- AprFoliage
- MayDormant
- JunDormant
- JulDormant
- AugDormant
- SepDormant
- OctDormant
- NovDormant
- DecDormant
Jobs
These dates suit a mild southern garden. A northern or Scottish plan shifts spring and autumn jobs by a fortnight.
5 October
Plant bulbs
Plant reticulata iris in gritty soil, 8 cm deep, where summer rain can drain away.
15 April
Keep them dry later
After the narrow leaves fade, avoid heavy summer watering over the bulbs.