Iris germanica Eclat de Nuit - Tall Bearded Iris

The Iris 'Éclat de Nuit' is a recent French cultivar that stands out for its remarkably contrasting, theatrical and particularly luminous flower, with almost black violet sepals and petals where white dominates. Orange-yellow beards form a well of light at the centre of the flower. Of moderate height for a tall iris, it is a mid-season variety that benefits from being planted in small groups.

This tall bearded iris flowers in the middle of the garden iris season, in May, on stems 84 cm tall. Each flower consists of 3 white upper petals, traversed by fine lavender veins, discreetly edged with old gold, and 3 much darker trailing sepals: blackish violet, with a white spot under the beard, striped with blackish violet and crossed by a golden line. The orange-yellow beard attracts the eye at the centre of the corolla. Depending on the light, the sepals can appear very dark violet, plum-black or almost black, while the golden edge becomes more visible in sunlight.

Tall bearded garden irises have long ceased to be simple forms of Iris germanica in the strict botanical sense. They are horticultural varieties resulting from repeated cross-breeding between various bearded rootstock irises, selected for stem height, flower width, and varied colours. These plants require fairly rich, well-drained soil and sun, at least 6 hours a day.

'Éclat de Nuit' was obtained by Nicolas Bourdillon, in Sologne. It was registered in 2023 under the seedling number NB-17-42-20. Its parentage combines 'Edge Of Heaven' and 'Mixed Signals'. Its first cultivar name was 'Charismatique', very evocative, then it was registered under the name Éclat de Nuit. It is a seedling sibling of 'Anneau Céleste' and 'Mamie Denise', two other cultivars from the same cross.

The iris 'Éclat de Nuit' is placed in a sunny border or in the middle of a not-too-tall bed, rather than behind large perennials. Plant it in groups of 3 rootstocks spaced 35 to 40 cm apart; the clump will be more opulent after two or three years. The rootstocks should always be well exposed and protected from competition from other plants. Its colouring combines well with the Iris 'Haut les Voiles', Santolina chamaecyparissus, Love-in-a-mist 'Miss Jekyll Alba' and its blue version 'Miss Jekyll Blue'. Love-in-a-mists are sown directly, flower just after the irises and their very fine foliage does not shade them.