Iris sibirica Dear Delight - Siberian Iris

The Siberian Iris Dear Delight, a variety for partially shaded situations and moist soils, with sky blue flowers striped with navy blue.

The Siberian Iris, or Iris sibirica, is very similar in cultivation to the Japanese iris. It likes rich and moist soils, and it tolerates the sun, but it will flower for the longest time in partial shade.

It flowers from May to June for a good 3 weeks. Its flowers, smaller than those of the Japanese iris (about 10cm (4in) in diameter), are more delicate and generally more intense in colour. There are many cultivars, with blue, violet, pink, or white flowers, sometimes bicolour and very rarely double. The flower stalks are erect at 1m (3ft) in height and the foliage, fine and well-filled, reaches a height of 60cm (24in).

Due to its origins, it is not afraid of the cold or humidity, but like its Japanese cousin, its base does not appreciate being submerged underwater in winter. Plant it either on the edge of a pond but not too close to the flood zone, or in an always damp to moist flower bed, even in summer.

The Siberian Iris Dear Delight has sky blue flowers striped with navy blue, with a diameter of 10cm (4in). They reach a height of 70cm (28in) and bloom in spring, at the beginning of May, for 3 weeks to 1 month.

An interesting variety for its light flowers, to be combined in a moist flower bed with astilbes, hostas, Japanese primroses, astrantias, and Japanese irises.