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Iris Brannigan - Dwarf bearded Iris

Iris pumila Brannigan
Dwarf bearded Iris

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1 reviews

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Thank you to Laura for the order preparation and Aline from the shipping department, the 3 young plants received appear healthy. Planted near the 'Summer song', 'Imogen' and 'Bataclan' roses, I am now patiently awaiting their establishment... or not?

Thierry, 17/02/2023

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This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty

More information

A dwarf Iris whose flowers are composed of violet petals dominating sepals of the same violet, but streaked with a darker shade. It blooms early in the season, usually in April. Plant it in a rock garden, as an edging, in a pot, or even on a green roof, it is perfect in poor and well-drained soils, even dry in summer.

Flower size

7 cm

Height at maturity

30 cm

Spread at maturity

30 cm

Exposure

Sun

Hardiness

Hardy down to -18°C

Soil moisture

Dry soil, Moist soil

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Best planting time August to September

Recommended planting time February to March, July to October

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Flowering time April

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Description

'Brannigan' Iris is a dwarf iris with tone-on-tone purple flowers that blooms quite early in the season. Its flowers are a good size compared to the height of the plant, which quickly forms beautiful, colourful clumps, perfect for creating a lovely spring decoration in rockeries, planters, borders, and on large slopes.

Iris Brannigan is a small rhizomatous perennial plant in the iris family. It belongs to a horticultural group called SDB (Standard Dwarf Bearded). In this group, hybrids between the dwarf iris pumila and the Tall Bearded Iris can be found. These irises bloom before tall irises, but after true dwarf irises. All these plants belong to the iris family.

From spring onwards, the Brannigan Iris forms small upright clumps of deciduous foliage. The plant reaches a height of 30 cm (12in) when flowering, and the clump will spread without a theoretical limit over time, with the centre rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the outer rhizomes. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped, slightly glaucous green leaves. Short flower stems appear in March and bloom in April, earlier or later depending on the climate. Each flower stem usually bears a solitary flower at its tip, 7 to 8 cm (3in) in diameter, consisting of three upright violet petals surmounted by 3 almost horizontal sepals of the same violet but striped with a darker shade. The beards are thick and white at the base, strongly coloured with violet-blue.

To accompany the irises, choose plants based on their needs (exposure, soil...), their growth (low-growing or light foliage plants), and their decorative complementarity (appearance, flowering time). For example, Gauras will cast little shade on them and will keep the iris bed attractive throughout the summer. Eschscholzia will be content with dry and poor soil like the iris. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also go very well with irises. Slopes and terraced edges will be stabilised by dense planting of old diploid varieties that require little care.

Rockeries, rocky and dry meadows, limestone plateaus, rocky slopes, green roofs: use the full range of irises. Border edges are the domain of border irises and dwarf irises!

Iris Brannigan - Dwarf bearded Iris in pictures

Flowering

Flower colour violet

Flowering time April

Flower size 7 cm

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous

Foliage colour medium green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 30 cm

Spread at maturity 30 cm

Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Iris

Species

pumila

Cultivar

Brannigan

Family

Iridaceae

Other common names

Dwarf bearded Iris

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference • 177801

Planting and care

Do you have a sunny, warm location, rather dry in the summer?
This is the ideal location for planting dwarf irises! In the shade, they do not flower. They are hardy and do not need winter protection. Well-drained soil is perfect, even dry and chalky. Excessively wet soil promotes rootstock rot. Plant from July to September. This gives the rootstocks enough time to grow and develop new roots before winter. They should be planted as soon as they are purchased for better results. Plan to divide irises every 4 years or so to give them fresh soil. They have vigorous growth and require space to develop and flower well. Plant with spacing appropriate to the size and vigour of the variety: approximately 34-50 cm (13-20in) for tall varieties. In a monochrome planting, the rootstocks should be planted in a staggered pattern. For a mix of colours, plant them in groups of several plants of the same variety. Always consider the direction of growth of the rootstocks by arranging them in a star shape, with buds and leaves facing outwards, and away from other varieties so that they have room to develop.

Planting

Dig a hole that is wide and deep enough. Make a conical mound of soil in the hole, on which the rootstock and spread-out roots are placed. Cover the roots. It is important for the rootstock to be left slightly above the surface of the soil. It should not be planted in a dip (risk of rot), so anticipate that the soil will settle and the iris will sink. In clay or moist soil, the rootstock may even be left elevated on a slight mound of a few centimetres. To make the soil stick to the roots, lightly firm and abundantly water, immediately after planting. Water if necessary until established.

Maintenance:

Keep the soil weed-free by shallow hoeing, taking care not to damage the rootstocks or roots. Weeds shade the irises, retain moisture (causing rot), and attract slugs. Similarly, remove dry leaves. If they are diseased (reddish-brown bordered spots of heterosporosis), burn them. Remove faded flowers.