Iris reticulata Rejoice

Iris reticulata 'Rejoice' is a cultivar of reticulated iris that offers flowers of a beautiful intense violet to dark purple colour, both vibrant and deep, with lips spotted with white and a central band of golden yellow. This small bulblet is strong despite its delicate appearance and perfectly hardy, blooming in February-March, and adapts well to mountainous or Mediterranean climates. A very pretty rockery and container plant, to be planted in well-drained soil. In humid climates, it is more perennial when grown in a pot, which also allows for a close-up view of its flowers.

Iris reticulata is a perennial plant of the iridaceae family, native to the mountains of the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. This iris is very hardy (to -34°C) and easy to grow in well-drained soil. 'Rejoice' is a hybrid derived from this species. The plant develops from a storage organ, which is an elongated bulb 2 to 3 cm tall, covered with a white skin. It blooms from the end of February, or in March depending on the climate, before the foliage appears, which makes it valuable in the garden. The 8 to 9 cm wide flowers are carried on stems about 12 cm tall. They are large compared to the size of the plant and seem to emerge directly from the ground. They are formed by 3 upright inner tepals dominating 3 more horizontal outer tepals. They are slightly fragrant. The foliage develops when the flowers fade, forming a clump of narrow, stiff, pointed leaves, up to 20 cm tall. It is at this time that the bulb divides into several bulblets, allowing the plant to colonise its environment.

Iris reticulata 'Rejoice' adapts perfectly to pot culture, sunny borders, or rockeries. This plant has two main requirements: well-drained soil and exposure to sunlight. It harmonises well with other small spring bulbs such as snowdrops, chionodoxas, crocuses, or early and botanical tulips. It also looks beautiful in front of Stern hellebores that appreciate the sun, it is recommended to plant it in groups of 15 bulbs together with Pulsatilla patens for example. This plant is also well suited for alpine trough culture, where it can coexist with species such as Dodecatheon, Globularia cordifolia, or Saxifraga 'Pixie'.