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About

Iris spuria 'Kiss of Caramel' is a rhizomatous perennial in the Iridaceae that bears purple to lilac flowers from May to July. It produces slender, elongated leaves from creeping rhizomes and forms compact clumps. The cultivar has been raised from Iris spuria and is grown in temperate gardens for its upright flower stems and seasonal display.

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 spuria 'Kiss of Caramel' belongs to the genus Iris and the family Iridaceae and traces to the wider Iris spuria group, which occurs across Europe, Asia and Africa. As a rhizome-forming perennial it spreads in time to make compact clumps of sword-shaped foliage and upright flowering stems. Its blooms appear in the UK from May to July and present in purple to lilac tones. Because it establishes from creeping rhizomes, give plants room to expand so clumps can develop; crowded crowns benefit from lifting and dividing to restore vigour. Its habit of forming clumps makes it straightforward to group three or five plants for a coherent flowering block rather than relying on single specimens. The species has been widely cultivated and hybridised for garden use, so expect reliable seasonal flowering in temperate conditions. Iris spuria 'Kiss of Caramel' suits mixed herbaceous borders and schemes where vertical flower stems can be seen above lower foliage. Use it where a late spring to early summer display of purple-lilac flowers is required; the erect stems carrying those blooms will be the defining feature of the planting through May to July.

More in the Iris genus

Browse all Iris →
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