Iris sibirica Frans Gold - Siberian Iris

Iris sibirica 'Fran's Gold' is a Siberian Iris distinguished by its almost yellow foliage, which forms a beautiful contrast with its spring flowers of a violet-blue colour. The majestic and infinitely refined flowers dominate a dense tuft of leaves that remain beautiful for many months. Appreciated for their graceful flowers and architectural foliage, Siberian irises are vigorous and beautiful plants that thrive in moist soils, unlike their cousins, German irises. They are also highly adaptable, and will thrive in good garden soil, simply retaining moisture during summer. Indispensable near water features, provided that the roots are not submerged in winter, they are perfectly suited for romantic, English, and even contemporary gardens.

Iris sibirica 'Fran's Gold', discovered by chance in a garden in 2014, was selected for the 2022 Plant of the Year competition at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. It is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant, with an upright clump-forming habit from spring onwards. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained from I. sibirica, native to Central Europe, Eastern Europe, and Turkey (but absent from Siberia), and I. sanguinea, found in China, Siberia, Japan, Manchuria, and Korea. 'Fran's Gold' will reach approximately 1m (3ft) in height when in bloom, with 60 to 70cm (24 to 28in) in height for the foliage. The clump will spread over approximately 50 to 60cm (20 to 24in). Its growth rate is moderate, slower than that of German irises. This plant has an upright, elegant habit, forming dense clumps. The foliage consists of long, narrow leaves that are yellowish-green in colour. From early May to early June, depending on the region, the flower stems project above the foliage, bearing solitary flowers with 3 sepals and 3 petals, succeeding from the tip of the stem to the lower branches. The flowers are mauve-blue, speckled with yellow towards the throat and veined with violet. This iris propagates through rhizomes, with vegetation disappearing in winter.

'Fran's Gold' is highly decorative when planted en masse near a water feature or stream, or simply in very moist soil. It is suitable for any type of garden that never dries out. Its grace perfectly suits romantic gardens, cottage gardens, and other mixed borders. In wet areas, it can be associated with summer snowflakes, camassias, montbretias, purple loosestrifes, daylilies, astilbes, meadowsweets, and rodgersias.

Good to know: The wild Siberian iris (Iris sibirica L.) is an endangered and protected species that must be respected. Horticultural Siberian irises are hybrids of different species within the Sibericae series (I. sanguinea, etc.). Their flowers are larger than those of wild forms and come in various colours. Several hundred named cultivars have been registered.