How to Grow a Japanese Iris

Slender and elegant, Japanese irises bring grace to your garden.

Once you have seen blooming Japanese irises, you will want to grow them in your landscape. Slender and tall, Japanese irises have blossoms resembling oversized, colorful butterflies fluttering in your garden. Japanese irises demand a specific growing environment in order to survive and thrive, but once established you will enjoy your Japanese irises for many years.

Things You'll Need

• Japanese iris rhizomes
• Organic compost
• Shovel
• Garden trowel
• Water
• Mulch
• Rotted manure
• Balanced fertilizer, 12-12-12

Instructions

1. Select an area in your landscape that will receive full sun all day to plant your Japanese iris. Ideally, the location you choose should have fairly constant moist soil, such as the edge of a pond or stream, or a low lying area in your yard.

2. Augment your soil where you intend to plant your Japanese iris with a shovel or two of rich organic material, such as rotted leaves or pine straw. Japanese irises prefer a heavier soil, rather than a loose, sandy soil, that drains well, holds moisture, and is slightly acidic. The organic material will add needed nutrients to the soil, increase the acidity (lowering the pH level) and help with the drainage.

3. Dig a hole 3 to 5 inches deep with a hand trowel for each Japanese iris rhizome you plant. The rhizomes should be spaced 12 to 15 inches apart, if you plan to have a cluster of Japanese irises. A stunning, blooming display of Japanese iris in your landscape should have a minimum of three plants.

4. Plant your Japanese iris rhizomes so the junction where the roots and the fan, which will be the leaves, is about 1 inch below the soil surface. It will help in keeping the soil moist if you also plant your Japanese iris slightly lower than the surrounding soil level.

5. Water your Japanese iris thoroughly as soon as you plant the rhizome. Continue to maintain moist soil for your Japanese iris throughout the growing season.

6. Fertilize your Japanese iris in early spring, and again after it is done blooming to give it the extra nutrition to form its blossoms. Use an equal balanced fertilizer, like 12-12-12, or fertilizer formulated for a camellia.

7. Mulch around your Japanese iris to help keep moisture in the soil and, over winter, to protect the plant.

Tips & Warnings

• Feel free to cut the flowers from your Japanese iris for bouquets. It will not harm your plant. But do not trim away the leaves and foliage before they naturally turn yellow and die. The green foliage of your Japanese iris is giving nutrition to the rhizome for blossoms next year, trimming the foliage too early will deprive your Japanese iris of the food it needs.

References

• Louisville Area Iris Society: Japanese Iris Culture
• Water Gardens Information: Japanese Iris
• Canadian Iris Society: Growing Japanese Iris
• Easy To Grow Bulbs: Japanese Iris Growing Information