Iris 'Blue Crusader' (TB) — Clump forming

Overview

Iris 'Blue Crusader' (TB) is a clump forming herbaceous perennial in the genus Iris, part of the Iridaceae family, with deciduous foliage. Iris 'Blue Crusader' (TB) grows best in full sun, and tolerates loam soils and neutral pH. Its UK hardiness is rated H6. Suggested uses include city and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal garden, patio and container plants, cut flowers and flower borders and beds.

About

Iris 'Blue Crusader' is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial in the Iridaceae, prized for its seasonal display from May to July. It forms deciduous foliage and performs best in well-drained loam in a sunny, sheltered spot. Plant where it receives south, east or west aspect light and where soil remains neutral rather than acid or alkaline. Very hardy (H6), it suits a wide range of UK gardens and provides reliable stems for cutting during its flowering months.

About the genus

Iris takes its name from the Greek goddess of the rainbow, and for once the naming feels entirely earned. I can't think of another genus that covers so much ground — inky purples, burnt apricots, clean whites, blues that seem lit from inside — or so many situations. There are bearded irises that want their rhizomes baked in full sun, Siberian types happy in ordinary border soil, and species that will sit contentedly at the edge of a pond. What they share is the flower: three petals standing up, three falling away, built with a kind of architectural confidence most plants never attempt. Even out of bloom the foliage earns its place — those upright fans of blue-green leaves hold a border together for months. I grow them for the fortnight in May and June when nothing else in the garden can compete, and I've made my peace with that. Some plants are for the long haul. An iris is an event.

Written by Henry

In the garden

A clump-forming cultivar in the iris family, Iris 'Blue Crusader' produces its flowering display between May and July. As a herbaceous perennial with deciduous leaves, it emerges each season from its underground growth and offers a concentrated late-spring to mid-summer flowering window that is well suited to seasonal bed displays and cut-flower use. Site choice matters: give it full sun on a south-, east- or west-facing site with shelter from strong prevailing winds, and plant into a loam-based, neutral soil that drains freely. Avoid heavy, waterlogged ground; containers should use a free-draining compost and be positioned where excess moisture can escape. The cultivar is rated H6, meaning it is very hardy for UK gardens and will survive normal winter conditions without special protection. Use Iris 'Blue Crusader' in flower borders and beds, in city or courtyard schemes, and in patio containers where its flowering run can be appreciated close to the house. It also suits cottage and informal garden styles and supplies cutting stems through its May to July season. Positioning the clump where the flowers can be seen and cut easily makes the most of its seasonal contribution.

Growing conditions

Best soil and position for Iris

Sunlight: Full sun
Soil type: Loam
Soil pH: Neutral
Soil moisture: Well-drained
Aspect: South-facing, East-facing, West-facing
Exposure: Sheltered
UK hardiness: H6

Plant details

Iris 'Blue Crusader' (TB) size, habit and characteristics

Plant type: Herbaceous Perennial
Habit: Clump forming
Foliage: Deciduous
Suggested uses: City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Patio and container plants, Cut flowers, Flower borders and beds