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Iris germanica Scatterbrain - Tall Bearded Iris

Iris germanica Scatterbrain
Bearded Iris

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A tall, brightly coloured iris that creates a striking effect when planted in a clump, with its white, ruby and gold flowers carried at nearly one metre. The erect petals are pale, while the sepals are intensely veined and washed with ruby around a yellow beard. This variety offers a spicy fragrance. It blooms in June. Plant its rootstocks in full sun, in well-drained soil, even dry in summer.
Height at maturity
1 m
Spread at maturity
40 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -15°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time August to September
Recommended planting time July to October
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Flowering time June
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Description

Iris ‘Scatterbrain’ is a variety of Tall Bearded Iris tall, late-flowering, very decorative when planted in large clumps. Its colouring, combining white, ruby red and gold, is uncommon among tall bearded irises: it relies not on a simple contrast between two colours, but on the richly coloured and heavily veined pattern of the sepals. In the garden, this variety creates a little highlight at the end of the iris season.

Its flower stems reach about 1 m in height. The fleshy rhizomes lie at the surface and become golden in the sun. The foliage, more or less deciduous or evergreen in winter, forms fans of glaucous green, upright leaves that arise directly from the rhizomes. As with other tall bearded irises, the clump must be divided when the centre becomes less floriferous. The flowers of Iris ‘Scatterbrain’ are large, undulate and scented, exuding a spicy fragrance noticeable in mild weather. The 3 upper petals are white, finely edged with gold. The 3 style arms are also white, with a golden touch on the crest. The 3 sepals are the real originality of this variety: their base is white, traversed by ruby veins that thicken on a yellow background until forming a broad red wash, finished with a narrow golden border. The beard, bright yellow, provides a lovely touch of vibrancy to the whole.

The Iris germanica grown in gardens do not come from a single wild species. The botanical name Iris × germanica historically refers to a rhizomatous hybrid between two species, Iris pallida and I. variegata. Modern tall bearded irises are more complex horticultural cultivars, selected for generations for flower size, stem height, undulation of petals, diversity of colours and regularity of flowering.

‘Scatterbrain’ was bred in the United States by Thomas Johnson. Registered in 2008 under seedling number Tw55C, it was introduced the same year by Mid-America Garden. It is the result of a cross between ‘Ring Around Rosie’ and ‘Quandary’ and received an Honorable Mention from the American Iris Society in 2010, then an Award of Merit in 2012.

Iris ‘Scatterbrain’ is more effective when planted in a small group than as a specimen. Plant 3 rhizomes spaced 40 cm apart, in a sunny border or on a slope, preferably in the middle or at the back of the planting. The soil should be clear around the stump, avoid planting near lush perennials that would deprive the rhizomes of sun. You can mix this iris with the white, late-flowering variety ‘Arctic Age’ and plant behind your iris clumps, for example, Amorpha canescens, Seseli gummiferum and Linaria purpurea Cannon J Went. Between the irises, plant for example Verbascum ‘Cotswold Queen’ and bulbs of Report an error about the product description

Garden iris, bearded iris: planting, care
Family sheet
by Virginie T. 13 min.
Garden iris, bearded iris: planting, care
Read article

Flowering

Flower colour two-tone
Flowering time June
Inflorescence Spike
Fragrance Fragrant sweet spicy fragrance
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Semi-evergreen
Foliage colour medium green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1 m
Spread at maturity 40 cm
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Iris

Species

germanica

Cultivar

Scatterbrain

Family

Iridaceae

Other common names

Bearded Iris

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference26114

Planting and care

Plant the iris ‘Scatterbrain’ from July to October. Choose a very sunny exposure, with at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, as shade significantly reduces flowering. Plant it in fertile, neutral to lime-bearing soil, especially well-drained; in clay soil, loosen generously and add gravel or coarse sand to prevent stagnant water around the rootstock. Place the rootstock almost at the surface, with the upper side visible to the sun, and bury only the roots. Space the young plants 30 to 40 cm apart. Water at planting time, then only in case of prolonged drought during the first year. Remove faded flowers, cut spent flower stalks at the base, and remove dry leaves at the end of winter.
Divide the rootstocks every three or four years in summer, when the centre of the clump flowers less.

Planting period

Best planting time August to September
Recommended planting time July to October

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Border, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -15°C (USDA zone 7b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 4 per m2
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Neutral, Calcareous
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil rich and well-drained

Care

Pruning instructions Cut the flower stalks at the end of flowering. Optionally cut the foliage at an angle halfway up in summer using a pruning shear.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time July to August
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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