Iris germanica Bullwinkle - Bearded Iris

Iris germanica 'Bullwinkle' is a variety of border iris, not very tall, which charms with its generosity and warm colour combining yellow, burgundy red, and orange. This variety also has good proportions between flowers and vegetation, which makes it a very pretty plant for flowering borders and gardens exposed to wind. 

The 'Bullwinkle' Iris is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant, with an upright tufted habit from spring onwards. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained over centuries, whose controversial origin is discussed around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It is worth noting that Garden Irises have European origins.

This 'Bullwinkle' variety is of modest size, it will reach a height of 65cm (26in) when flowering and the tuft will spread without a theoretical limit over time, with the central rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the outer ones. The plant has an erect, elegant habit, in dense tufts. The foliage consists of long sword-shaped leaves, glaucous green in colour, with prominent veins. In April, up to 3 floral stems emerge from each rhizome, each carrying 7 to 8 flower buds. This flowering occurs in the middle of the Garden Iris season, in May. The slightly ruffled flowers open from the top towards the lower branches. Its flowers consist of 3 upright petals of bright yellow with a burgundy median vein, 3 yellow styles washed with burgundy, 3 pendent sepals speckled and bordered with burgundy on a lighter yellow background, and 3 beards of golden orange with a white base. The colour of this plant is, as always with Garden Irises, magnified by the texture of the petals and sepals. 

Obtained by George Sutton, 1994. 

To accompany irises, choose companion plants according to their requirements (exposure, soil...), their "respectful" growth habit towards irises (low plants or light foliage), and their decorative complementarity (aspect, flowering time). For example, Gauras will cast little shade on the irises and will keep the deflowered iris bed attractive all summer. Eschscholzia will be content with a dry and poor soil like the iris. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also accompany irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges will be stabilized by a 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, for example intermediates that are less likely to be knocked over than the tall ones.