Monday, August 12, 2013

Siberian Iris Caesar’s Brother















Botanical Name: Iris sibirica "Caesar’s Brother"
Common Name: Siberian Iris "Caesar’s Brother"
Plant Type: Perennial
Light Requirements: Full sun to part shade
Zone: 4-9
Growth Rate: Fast
Height X Spread: 36" H x  24" W
Bloom Time: May
Bloom Description: Violet blue flowers
Foliage Description: Narrow green "lance" like foliage
Soil: Average to moist, slightly acidic (6.0-7.0)
Water: Regular, will tolerate wet soil
Prune: None
Tidy: Remove spent bloom stalks to prevent reseeding
Fertilizer: Balanced 10-10-10 or 14-14-14
Fertilizing cycle: Early spring and again after blooms fade
Special Maintenance: None
Propagation:  Division in spring
Pests & Diseases: Less susceptible to iris borer and soft rot than other varieties

Notes:  Siberian Iris is a low maintenance plant which has roots that grow deep into the ground allowing it to tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. It prefers full sun but will also grow in part shade.  Its elegant violet blue blooms last only 1-2 days but the grass like foliage will stay green into the fall.  Siberian Iris attracts butterflies and is resistant to deer.  It works well as a specimen or in mass plantings.

For more information visit the Society for Siberian Irises.