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Iris Seafire - Dwarf iris

Iris pumila Sea Fire
Dwarf Iris

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A dwarf Iris with wavy, rather light blue flowers, adorned with cream beards with a red base, clearly visible. They emit a slight musky fragrance. It blooms earlier than the tall irises, usually in April. Plant it in a rockery, along the edge, in a planter, it is perfect for flowering lean and well-drained soils, even dry in summer.
Flower size
8 cm
Height at maturity
30 cm
Spread at maturity
25 cm
Exposure
Sun
Hardiness
Hardy down to -18°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time August to September
Recommended planting time February to March, July to October
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Flowering time April
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Description

The 'Seafire' Iris is a dwarf iris that offers blue flowers with red beards, starting in early spring. Its flowers are delicate, gently wavy, and subtly fragrant. Dwarf irises, as easy to grow as their larger cousins, are perfect for creating a springtime display in rock gardens, containers, borders, and on slopes.

The 'Seafire' Iris is classified in the horticultural group of Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB) irises. Varieties in this group meet the following criteria: Foliage as tall as the flower stem, upright, height between 25 and 40 cm and flowers measuring 7.5 cm to 10 cm in diameter. In the SDB group (Standard Dwarf Bearded), hybrids are found between the truly dwarf iris pumila and the Tall Bearded Iris. Of modest size, dwarf irises bloom before tall irises, but after true dwarf irises. All these plants belong to the iridaceae family.

Starting in spring, the 'Seafire' Iris forms small upright clumps. Its foliage is deciduous, absent in winter. The plant will reach a height of 30 cm when in bloom and the clump will spread indefinitely over time, with the centre rhizomes becoming bare in favor of the outer rhizomes. The foliage consists of long, sword-shaped, slightly glaucous green leaves. It is a variety that blooms in the middle of the dwarf iris season. In March, short flower stems appear that will bloom in April, earlier or later depending on the climate. The flower stems bear 2 to 3 flowers. Each flower, measuring 7 to 8 cm in diameter, consists of three upright petals of a fairly light blue colour, surmounting 3 almost horizontal sepals of the same blue, but washed with bronze-green under the beards. These beards are cream-white, but red at the base. Note that the flowers of 'Seafire' emit a slight musky fragrance.

Bred by Marky Smith, Yakima, Washington State, United States, in 1999

Award: Honorable Mention (H.M) in 2003.

To accompany irises, choose plants based on their needs (exposure, soil...), their "respectful" vegetation towards irises (low-growing plants or light foliage), their decorative appearance and flowering date. For example, Gaura will provide little shade and keep the iris bed attractive throughout the summer. Eschscholzia will be satisfied with the same dry and poor soil as the iris. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also accompany irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges can be stabilised by dense plantings of old diploid varieties that can remain in place and require little care.

Rock gardens, rocky and dry meadows, limestone plateaus, rocky slopes, green roofs: use the full range of irises. Border edges are the domain of border irises, but also of dwarf irises!

 

 

Flowering

Flower colour blue
Flowering time April
Inflorescence Cluster
Flower size 8 cm
Fragrance slightly scented, Light musky fragrance

Foliage

Foliage persistence Deciduous
Foliage colour medium green

Plant habit

Height at maturity 30 cm
Spread at maturity 25 cm
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Iris

Species

pumila

Cultivar

Sea Fire

Family

Iridaceae

Other common names

Dwarf Iris

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Planting and care

Do you have a sunny, warm location, rather dry in summer?
This is the ideal location for planting dwarf irises! In the shade, they grow but do not flower. They are hardy and do not need winter protection. Well-drained soil is perfect, even if it is rather dry and chalky. Soil that is too wet promotes rhizome rot. Plant from July to September. This allows the rhizomes enough time to grow and develop new roots before winter. They should be planted as soon as they are purchased for best results. Plan to divide the irises every 4 years or so to give them fresh soil. They have vigorous growth and require space to develop and flower well. Plant with spacing appropriate to the size and vigour of the variety: about 34-50 cm for tall irises (5 to 10 plants per square metre). In a monochrome planting, the rhizomes are planted in a staggered pattern. For a mix of colours, plant them in groups of several plants of the same variety. Always consider the direction of rhizome growth by arranging them in a star shape, with buds and leaves facing outward, and spacing them well away from other varieties so they have room to grow.

Planting

Dig a hole that is wide and deep enough. Make a conical mound of soil in the hole, on which the rhizome and spreading roots are placed. Cover the roots. It is important for the rhizome to be left just above the surface of the soil. It should not be planted in a dip (risk of rot), so anticipate that the soil will settle and the iris will sink. In clay or moist soil, the rhizome should even be raised on a slight mound of a few centimetres. To make the soil cling to the roots, lightly firm the soil and water abundantly immediately after planting. Water 2-3 times if necessary until the plant is established.

Maintenance:

Keep the soil free of weeds by shallow hoeing, taking care not to damage the rhizomes or roots. Weeds shade the irises, retain moisture (causing rot), and attract slugs. Similarly, remove dry leaves. If they are diseased (reddish-bordered spots of heterosporiosis), burn them. Remove faded flowers.

Planting period

Best planting time August to September
Recommended planting time February to March, July to October

Intended location

Suitable for Rockery
Type of use Edge of border, Container, Slope
Hardiness Hardy down to -18°C (USDA zone 7a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 10 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, Well-drained soil

Care

Pruning instructions Cut the wilted flowers
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time May
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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