Iris ensata Center of Interest - Japanese Water Iris

The Japanese Iris 'Center of Interest' is a spreading iris with large flowers measuring 15cm (6in) in diameter, intense blue with a white and yellow centre. They bloom in late summer, reaching a height of 1m (3ft) and lasting for 3 weeks between June and July.

The better-known Japanese Iris, also known as Iris ensata, bears no comparison to our classic garden irises. They thrive in full sun or partial shade, in moist to wet soils. The flowers, measuring 10 to 15cm (4 to 6in) in diameter, consist of 3 large flat sepals topped with 3 finer petals. There are numerous cultivars with pink, violet, blue, and white flowers... some of which have sepals that are occasionally striped or speckled with black, blue, or violet.

Often grown on the banks of ponds and basins, Japanese Irises, like many marsh plants, can tolerate having their "feet" in water during the summer but do not fare well when submerged during winter, especially if it is freezing. Plant them in heavy soil forming a slight depression, at the bottom of a slope, or on a bank where the soil becomes moist through capillarity.

Grow Japanese Irises in moist soil alongside Astilbes, royal ferns, loosestrifes, and Ligularias.