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About

Iris hartwegii subsp. australis is a species of Iris (family Iridaceae) from central California, notable for bearing one to three flowers on a slender stem. Flowers range from purple through yellow to almost white and commonly show fine lavender veining. In the UK it flowers from May to July. The plant is a low-growing species suited to open, well-drained sites.

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

Iris hartwegii subsp. australis is a species-level member of the genus Iris (family Iridaceae) native to central California, where it occurs on low-elevation mountain slopes. Plants produce a narrow stem bearing one to three blooms that display colours from purple to pale yellow or nearly white, frequently marked with lavender veins; in the UK the flowering season is May to July. Its provenance on exposed, low-elevation slopes suggests a preference for conditions that do not remain waterlogged; replicate that by choosing an open, free-draining position rather than heavy, wet ground. Many growers treat it like other species irises, giving it sharp-draining soil and avoiding prolonged winter saturation to reduce rot. In a UK garden it suits gravel beds, rockeries or the front of a sunny border where drainage is good and the delicate stems can be seen. Because each stem carries only a few blooms, plant in small drifts to create impact; individual stems reliably produce one to three veined flowers through the May to July season.

More in the Iris genus

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