Iris germanica Brindisi - Bearded Iris

The 'Brindisi' German Iris, also known as the Tall Bearded Iris, offers large fragrant flowers in May, with coppery orange-brown petals and a red "beard". This quite old variety (obtained in 1978) still captivates with its warm and intense colour. Its growth is vigorous, and it quickly forms beautiful clumps. Ideal in flower beds, borders, and on slopes.

The 'Brindisi' Iris is a deciduous rhizomatous perennial plant, with upright clumps from spring. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained over centuries, with a controversial origin that revolves around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. German Irises have European origins. The 'Brindisi' variety reaches a height of 90 cm (35 in) when in bloom, and the clump spreads indefinitely over time, with the central rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the external ones.

The 'Brindisi' Iris has an elegant upright habit with dense clumps. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped leaves, glaucous-green and heavily veined. In April, floral stems appear, which will give rise to flowers blooming from the top towards the lower branches in May. The colour of this plant is, as always with German Irises, enhanced by the texture of the petals and sepals, which are very silky here. The coppery orange-brown of this flower is iridescent with saffron and a hint of pink depending on the lighting conditions. It is worth noting that the flowers are also highly fragrant.

Do you have a sunny, warm, and rather dry location in the summer? Then this is the ideal spot for planting the Brindisi Iris! In the shade, German Irises languish but do not bloom. They are hardy and do not need winter protection. Well-drained, rather dry soil is perfectly suitable, even if it is rather dry and chalky. Excessively wet soil promotes rotting of the rootstock.

Plant from July to September. This allows the rootstocks enough time to grow sufficiently before being dug up, and then to establish new roots before winter. They should be planted as soon as they are purchased for best results. Plan to divide the irises every 4 years or so to give them fresh soil. They have vigorous growth and require space to develop and bloom well. They are planted with spacing appropriate to the size and vigour of the variety: about 34-50 cm (13-20 in) for larger plants (5 to 10 plants per square metre (3 square feet)).

In a monochromatic planting, the rhizomes are planted in staggered rows. For a mix of colours, it is recommended for the overall aesthetic of the iris bed to plant them in groups of several plants of the same variety. Always consider the direction of rhizome growth by arranging them in a star shape, with buds and leaves facing outwards, and spacing them well from other varieties to allow them room to grow.

Planting:

Dig a hole sufficiently wide and deep. Create a conical mound of soil on which to place the rootstock and spreading roots. Cover the roots. It is important for the rootstock to be left just above the surface of the soil. It should not be planted in a depression (risk of rot), so anticipate that the soil will settle and the iris will sink. In clay or moist soil, the rootstock should even be left raised on a slight mound of a few centimetres (about an inch). To make the soil adhere to the roots, lightly compact the soil and water abundantly immediately after planting. Water 2-3 times if necessary until the plant resumes growth.

Maintenance:

Keep the soil free of weeds by shallow hoeing, taking care not to damage the rhizomes or roots. Weeds shade the Irises, retain moisture (leading to rot), and attract slugs. Likewise, remove dry leaves. If they are diseased (reddish-bordered heterosporous spots), burn them. Remove faded flowers.

In vegetable gardens: they can be enhanced with a few clumps or borders of irises, as they are also a classic location for growing flowers for cutting.