Iris germanica Fiery Temper

Iris germanica Fiery Temper is a remarkably colourful variety of bearded Iris which stands out in the garden in May-June. Its tall flower stems bear many undulated, bicoloured flowers, with bright purple petals dominating very dark purple sepals with black reflections. The whole is further enhanced by a beautiful bright orange beard. 

Iris germanica 'Fiery Temper' is a rhizomatous perennial plant, deciduous in winter, with an upright clump-forming habit from spring onwards. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of many cultivars obtained over the centuries, with debate about their disputed origins revolving around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It should be noted that Bearded Irises have European origins. 'Fiery Temper' is a tall variety that will reach 91 cm (36in) in height when flowering, with one to several strong stems per rhizome, each bearing many flower buds. The clump will spread very quickly and indefinitely over time, as the central rhizomes become bare in favour of the outer ones. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped leaves, glaucous green, tinged with purple at the base, highly veined. In April floral stems appear which will give flowers in May, in the middle of the peak iris season, blooming from the top down towards the lower branches. The rich colour of this variety is, as always with Bearded Irises, magnified by the silky texture of the petals and sepals. The official description of the colour of this Fiery Temper variety is as follows: "Standard petals in Dahlia violet; drooping sepals in red-black, beard bittersweet to orange-red ".

Bred by Keith Keppel in 2000. 

Awards:  Honorable Mention (HM) in 2003, Award of Merit (AM) in 2005

To accompany irises, choose plants based on their needs (sunlight, soil), their "respectful" growth habit vis-a-vis irises (low-growing plants or light foliage), and how they complement each other visually (appearance, flowering period). For example, Gauras will cast little shade and will keep the bed attractive throughout summer once the irises have flowered. California Poppies (Eschscholzia), like irises, will be satisfied with dry and poor soil. Perennial geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also complement irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges can be stabilised by dense planting of old diploid varieties that can remain in place and require little care. If the goal is more decorative and access for care is possible one can choose more modern varieties, such as intermediates that are less likely than tall varieties to be knocked over by wind and rain. The vegetable garden can accommodate a few clumps of irises because they do not compete with vegetables and their dormant period is in summer.