Iris germanica Coup de Soleil - Tall Bearded Iris

TheIris ‘Coup de Soleil’ is a garden iris that is relatively short but floriferous and has a bright orange almost solid colour, quite rare among Iris germanica. The numerous flowers on the stems, slightly crimped, exude a sweet fragrance. This mid-season variety blooms in May–June, depending on the climate. Plant its rootstocks in summer in a sunny bed or on a well-drained slope.

'Coup de Soleil' is a perennial plant with fleshy rootstocks. It is one of the countless varieties of large bearded iris cultivated in gardens for centuries. These plants of the Iridaceae family descend from Iris × germanica, an ancient European hybrid derived from Iris pallida and Iris variegata. They grow from superficial rootstocks, are very cold-resistant and tolerate summer drought once established. Their sword-shaped leaves, glaucous green, are more or less evergreen in winter depending on the climate.

'Coup de Soleil' is stocky for a large iris, its floral stems rise to 75 cm from the ground. After 3 or 4 years of growth, the clump occupies 40 to 50 cm across. The rootstocks multiply slowly at the periphery of the stump; those in the centre no longer flower. The flowers open in May–June, at the heart of the garden iris season. Each stem carries up to 9 buds, which extends the flowering period. The flowers are not very large, crimped on the edge, almost solid orange, somewhere between mandarin and carrot, visible from a distance. The upright petals and trailing sepals have a similar shade. In the centre of the corolla sit red beards that enhance its colour. The fragrance is sweet, especially noticeable when you bury your nose in the flower.

Bred by Richard Cayeux, registered in 2006 and then introduced in 2007, this French iris bears the seedling number 98135B. It arises from a cross-breeding between a seedling of the ‘Adobe Rose’ line and the iris ‘Good Show’. It stands out from more variegated orange varieties by its almost pure colour, its floriferousness, and its stature more suited to borders.

Plant this iris ‘Coup de Soleil’ in groups of three rootstocks, spaced 35 to 40 cm apart, to obtain a beautiful flowering clump within 2–3 years. In a border, associate it with blue or white irises and with plants that will not risk suffocating its stump. Its orange colour stands out next to the iris ‘Tuxedo’, very dark and velvety, or the Iris ‘Confiserie’, more purplish. Beside them, plant for example the Euphorbia characias ‘Miners Merlot’, with purple evergreen foliage, or the Santolina ‘Lemon Fizz’ which forms a small golden cushion.