I am here today to sing the praises of the Siberian Iris, specifically, the cultivar ‘Snow Queen’:
Oh, you want to know why? You can’t just simply trust my judgement? I thought we were all tighter than that. OK, fine, I’ll tell you why:
- Deer resistance – this has become priority #1 for me of late
- Ability to withstand wet soil – if you’ve read this blog before, you know my issue with wet feet
- Multitude of blooms – a relatively short window of bloom, but it is a nice explosion for 2 weeks
- Multi-seasonal interest – these look good almost all year, in and out of bloom
- Solid design element – the upright, deep green and grassy foliage plays well with other contrasting foliage types
Most often, I’ll purchase a plant if it fits even 2-3 of the criteria above, but when you find one that hits all five, you do a little dance and enjoy the crap out of it.
- Survives in zones 3-9
- Works well in full sun to partial shade (I’ve tried them in both and found they perform fine in both)
- They get to be about 36′ high and only need to be about 18″ apart
- They apparently work in almost any soil but I can only attest to clay
- I’ve read online that they can rebloom but I’ve never experienced it
- They divide rather easily, as do all siberian irises although I haven’t divided this cultivar yet
Here are some photos of ‘Snow Queen’ that will take you through the life cycle, season by season:
First emerging in the early spring:
In bud, near the middle of May:
First bloom of the year (note the golden yellow color):
In full bloom in late May:
The last bloom hanging on for dear life yesterday:
The strapping foliage still providing interesting vertical lines in Fall:
Call me crazy, but I even like the dead foliage color in Winter:
I am anxious to try other Siberian iris cultivars (I also have ‘Ruffled Velvet’ which hasn’t performed as well) as long as I can find room for them all.
As always, I would love to get your thoughts on other Siberian or even non Siberian irises you have had success with or any tips that have been successful for you.
Thanks for stopping by!
We have some white and yellow iris here at our antebellum house that have been here for more years than we know. They have been divided many times and bloom well in the sun. Once the large trees shade them they do not bloom well. Are they Siberian? Don’t know. Yours are beautiful. I find their spiky foliage very geometric and pretty even without blooms.
I have never seen the Snow Queen. I didn’t even know Siberan iris came in white. I have a deep purple one that I love. I’m sorry I don’t know the name but it was given to me.
Those look so unusual! I really love the pictures.
Beautiful photos of your Irises.Thanks for sharing
I really need to add some of these to my garden…maybe next year! I have mostly the German Bearded Iris that came with our house…and a ‘Gerald Darby’ I added this spring. I do love how Siberian’s foliage remains attractive all season…the G.B.’s look a bit shabby during summer.
Looks like you found a keeper! I am currently battling voles…I think. Somebody is coming up from underground and plants are suffering.
I’ve never grown Siberian Iris. I’ve got a clump of variegated Japanese iris in my pond that are about to bloom though. Do these count? 🙂
I have the old fashioned Irises often referred to as flags. I have never heard of, or have seen “Snow Queen” I plan to add Siberians to my future gardens because of there form and various colors. I like yours, and have decided to add them to my list….. Thanks for sharing.
Lovely iris. Tougher than I thought. Snow Queen is a beauty.
Hello overthere – Denmark calling.
I have several Siberian iris in my garden. I have learned that there are different times for start of blooming for different kinds of Siberian Iris. Take that in concideration when yor order your Siberians – they wil be called Bloom Period: EE=Very Early, E=Early, EM=Early mid, M=Mid, ML=Mid late, L=Late
http://www.homesteadfarms.com/siberian_iris.htm
You wil then have Iris Sib. blooming in your garden for a very long time.
I have “Soft blue” “Butter and Sugar” “Tunkhannock” “White Swirl”
and many more.
Hi!
Have collection of roughly 300 Siberian Iris cultivars, does not include the thousand of seedlings. I love the yearly life cycle pictures. I have done the same in my SI presentation.
Here is a couple more charcteristics to add to your list:
Few diseases or pests.
Sound and movement in the wind.
Cool color palette
Drought tolerance
Water/ice inundation tolerance