Iris germanica Échassier - Tall Bearded Iris

The Iris ‘Échassier’ holds one of the last surprises of the tall garden iris season. This late variety bears large light yellow, white and lavender flowers whose beards extend into feathery spurs. Its particularly tall flower stems and this small egret at the heart of the flower probably inspired its name. 

With its 1.15 m flower stems, ‘Échassier’ is among the tallest bearded irises of its generation. Like all garden irises, it is a perennial plant with fleshy rhizomes, belonging to the Iridaceae family. Their ancestor is the Iris × germanica, a European hybrid derived from Iris pallida and Iris variegata. They grow from superficial rhizomes, are very hardy in well-drained soil and resistant to summer drought once established. Their sword-shaped leaves, of a greyish to glaucous green, are deciduous to semi-evergreen in winter depending on the climate.

After 3 or 4 years of cultivation, the clump occupies 40 to 50 cm across. The floriferous rhizomes multiply slowly at the periphery of the stump, those in the centre serving solely as storage organs. The flowers of this variety bloom late, between the end of May and June depending on the climate. Each is formed of 3 upright light yellow petals and 3 trailing sepals that spread almost horizontally, white edged with lavender to amethyst. At the base of the sepals, golden-yellow beards end in a long white, feathery spur, tinged with lavender at the tip. 

Bred in France by Richard Cayeux, registered in 2009 and then introduced in 2010, this French iris bears the seedling number 99 169 D. It comes from a cross-breeding between ‘Toile de Jouy’ and ‘Futuriste’. 

In the garden, plant this iris ‘Échassier’ in groups of three rhizomes, spaced 35 to 40 cm apart, to obtain a tall, clearly visible clump within 2-3 years. Place it in the middle or at the back of a border, in a position sheltered from wind. It combines well with the late iris ‘Sharper Image’, white dotted with lavender, and iris ‘Brin de Folie’, white and yellow with a spurred beard. You can plant them between grey cushions of Marrubium incanum that will not smother the rhizomes, and Goniolimon tataricum which form blue-mauve clouds in summer.

The vegetable garden can also accommodate irises, as well as other flowers for cut flower arrangements, notably gladioli.