Iris germanica Dating A Royal

Iris germanica 'Dating A Royal' will delight collectors of tall irises looking for unusual colours. Its large flowers offer a harmonious and contrasting mix of pastel pink petals and violet-blue sepals. Intense orange beards add a lot of personality to the overall appearance. The plant quickly forms beautiful clumps that will flower in spring in borders and rock gardens for several weeks.

The 'Dating A Royal' Iris is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant that grows in upright clumps. The foliage appears in spring and disappears in winter. Like all Iris germanica, it belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of many cultivars obtained over the centuries, with debate about their disputed origins revolving around the number of chromosomes of potential ancestors. It should be noted that Bearded Irises have European origins. 'Dating A Royal' is a particularly tall variety, reaching 1m (3ft) in height when in flower. Each rhizome produces a flower stalk bearing numerous flower buds. The clump spreads quickly and indefinitely over time, as the central rhizomes become bare in favour of the outer ones. The foliage consists of long, glaucous green, heavily veined sword-shaped leaves. In April the flower stalks appear, and in May, depending on the climate, the flowers bloom from the top down towards the lower branches. Each flower consists of 3 upright lavender-pink petals and 3 violet sepals with small white stripes near the orange beard. The colouring of this plant, as always with Bearded Irises, is enhanced by the silky and iridescent texture of the petals and sepals.

Obtained from Schreiner, 2014.

Awards: Honorable Mention in 2017.

To complement irises, choose plants based on their needs (sunlight, soil), their "respectful" growth habit vis-a-vis irises (low-growing plants or light foliage), and how they complement each other visually (appearance, flowering period). For example, Gauras will cast little shade and will keep the bed attractive throughout summer once the irises have flowered. California Poppies (Eschscholzia), like irises, will be satisfied with dry and poor soil. Perennial geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also complement irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges can be stabilised by 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, such as intermediates that are less likely than tall varieties to be knocked over by wind and rain.