Iris germanica Brilliant Disguise - Tall Bearded Iris

Iris 'Brilliant Disguise' is a tall garden iris bicolour with remarkable contrast and very warm colours. Its flowers combine orange apricot petals with black-brown sepals that are intensely velvety, enhanced by a flame orange beard. Its mid-season flowering occurs in May-June depending on the climate, on tall stems. A light fragrance accompanies the flowers in mild weather.

This cultivar belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is a tall bearded iris, whose flowers bear a small brush of coloured hairs on the trailing sepals. Horticultural irises of this type are linked to Iris × germanica, an ancient hybrid derived from Iris pallida and Iris variegata, native to the northwestern part of the Balkan peninsula. It is a rhizomatous perennial, hardy and drought-tolerant.

'Brilliant Disguise' is an American introduction by Thomas Johnson, registered in 2008. It is descended from the cultivars 'Idol' and 'Next Millennium'. This variety received an Honorable Mention in 2010, followed by an Award of Merit in 2012. The plant forms a perennial clump composed of fleshy, horizontal rhizomes that emerge from the soil. The roots located beneath the rhizome penetrate underground, while new shoots form at the periphery. This variety reaches about 90 cm in height when in flower and 40 to 50 cm in width after 3 or 4 years. The flower stems are branched and bear several buds that open successively or in pairs. The leaves form upright fans, glaucous green, and are sword-shaped. They partially dry up in winter depending on the climate. The flowers are broad, moderately undulate, lightly scented, and very visible from a distance. The upright petals are a bright orange apricot, the trailing sepals take on a brown to black-brown hue, lighter near the beard of flame orange.
This iris takes its name from the title of a Bruce Springsteen song released in 1987, 'Brilliant Disguise'.

Plant 'Brilliant Disguise' in groups of three rhizomes, spaced 35 to 40 cm apart. Its very warm colouring combines well with the purple foliage of the spurge 'Black Bird' and the vivid orange flowering of the rock rose 'Bronzeteppich'. You can add a few yarrow 'Credo' which will take over in early summer, and some common sage 'Purpurascens', for its greyish purple foliage and compact habit.

The vegetable garden can be adorned with a few clumps or borders of irises, as it is also the classic place dedicated to cut flowers.