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About

Iris 'Rebeboth Gem' is a cultivar of Iris in the Iridaceae family, valued for its seasonal display of flowers. It reliably flowers from May to July. The cultivar produces upright flowering stems that contribute a concentrated mid‑season show in the border.

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 'Rebeboth Gem' belongs to the genus Iris (family Iridaceae) and is offered as a cultivated variety for gardens that need a clear mid‑season flowering period. Its blooms appear between May and July, providing a focused window of interest when many perennials are also coming into flower. Growers treating it like other iris cultivars will find it most effective sited where the plant receives a period of sun during the growing season and where soil does not remain waterlogged through winter. Planting at a depth consistent with other iris types and allowing room for gradual clump expansion will reduce the need for frequent lifting. Observe congestion in spring and divide if flowering diminishes. In the UK garden it suits the middle of a perennial border, grouping for a stronger visual impact or interplanted with plants that extend the display before and after its May to July flowering run. Cut or deadhead flowering stems as you would other iris cultivars to tidy the bed and direct energy back to the foliage for the following season; the defined bloom window makes it easy to plan companion planting for continuity of interest.

More in the Iris genus

Browse all Iris →
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