Hollowstem Iris

A beardless, Siberian Iris with long, slender leaves to around 40cm. From late spring or early summer stems to around 50cm grow through the foliage, with one or two royal purple flowers on each. The blooms are 6-8cm long. The falls have a delicate white patterning.
These hardy Iris need practically no maintenance and will prosper in either a well drained or a boggy soil. With up to one or two blooms on a stem, Iris bulleyana are great garden performers.

Plant so the crown is just below the soil surface. Water in well, it takes around 4-6 weeks for the rhizome to establish in the soil. The leaves are winter dormant.

This Iris is best left to naturalise where the thick rhizomes will gradually form nice clumps. They will flower more prolifically as they establish. You will need to dig and divide every four or five years so, making them ideal for low maintenance gardens.

Iris bulleyana is from the Sichuan province in China, where it is found in damp meadows, hills and by streams. Common names include Hollow Stem Iris because the flower stems are indeed hollow.