Iris sibirica Not Quite White - Siberian Iris

Iris sibirica 'Not Quite White' is a charming variety of Siberian iris that offers delicately coloured flowers in late spring. They are white, veined with pale lavender. Appreciated for their graceful flowers and sculptural foliage, the so-called Siberian irises are vigorous and beautiful plants that thrive in wet soils, unlike their cousins, the German irises. They are hardy and adaptable, and will thrive in good garden soil, simply needing water to keep fresh in summer. Irreplaceable near water features, as long as the roots are not submerged in winter, they are perfect for romantic, English, and even contemporary style gardens.

'Not Quite White' Siberian iris is a rhizomatous and deciduous perennial plant, with an upright tufted habit starting in spring. It belongs to the Iridaceae family. It is one of the many cultivars obtained from Iris sibirica, native to central Europe, eastern Europe, and Turkey (but absent from Siberia), and I. sanguinea, found in China, Siberia, Japan, Manchuria, and Korea. This iris will reach a height of 80cm (32in) when in bloom, with foliage reaching 45cm (18in) and a spread of about 50cm (20in). Its growth is moderate, slower than that of German irises. The 'Not Quite White' Siberian iris has an elegant upright habit with dense clumps. The foliage consists of long, narrow leaves that are somewhat greyish-green. In May-June, the flower stems project above the foliage with 3 sepals and 3 petals, 12cm (5in) wide. The flowers are solitary and successively bloom from the top of the stem to the lower branches. This iris spreads through rhizomes, and its vegetation disappears in winter.

'Not Quite White' is ideal near a water feature or stream, or simply in very moist soil. It can also be used in any type of non-arid garden. Its grace is perfect for romantic gardens, English gardens, and other mixed borders. In moist soil, it can be paired with summer snowflake, camassia, poet's narcissus, montbretia, crinum, daylilies, astilbes, delphiniums, columbines, bugbanes, phlox, asters, herbaceous peonies, and lady's mantle.

Did you 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 in the Sibericae series (I. sanguinea, etc.). Their flowers are larger and come in various colours compared to the wild forms. Several hundred named cultivars are registered.