Family: Iridaceae

Flowering colour: deep and light blue, purple, yellow and white

Flowering period: June – July

Average plant height: 60 cm

Planting depth to base of bulb: 15 cm

Spacing between bulbs: 10

Type of bulb: bulb

Light requirement: full sun

Landscape uses: beds, borders and as cut flowers

These irises never grew wild in the Netherlands. Instead, they are the products of hybridisation carried out by a Dutch plant breeding firm by the name of Tubergen. Two species playing an important role in the development of these hybrids were I. xiphium and I. lusitanic. For growing them, a rich, well-drained soil is important for success. The bulbs can be left in the ground if desired, but there is a risk of disease. The flowers are 10 cm in diameter, and the flower stalks are very sturdy – a quality which makes them quite suitable for use as cut flowers. The colour assortment is very wide and includes bicoloured varieties.

Most commonly available cultivars

• ‘Apollo’: yellow and white
• ‘Blue Diamond’: blue
• ‘Blue Magic’: deep purple-blue
• ‘Blue Ribbon’: (‘Professor Blaauw’): deep blue
• ‘Casablanca’: white
• ‘Hildegarde’: light blue
• ‘Ideal’: sky blue
• ‘Imperator’: blue and orange
• ‘Madonna’: white
• ‘Purple Sensation’: deep purple
• ‘Royal Yellow’: yellow
• ‘Saturnus’: white and pale yellow
• ‘Symphony’: yellow and white
• ‘Telstar’: deep blue
• ‘White Bridge’: pure white
• ‘White van Vliet’: pure white
• ‘White Wedgwood’: pure white

 These bulbs are sometimes sold as mixed colours.