copper iris
Iris fulva
RHS AGM 2004
USDA zones6 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size2 to 3 feet tall12 to 24 inches wide
- Habit
- Herb
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer
- Bloom color
- Coppery brown to various shades of orange-red
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Copper iris (Iris fulva) is a perennial for borders, rain gardens, and naturalized areas. It is hardy to USDA zone 6, or down to -10°F (-23°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and average to wet, loamy or clay soil. Coppery flowers open on slender stalks above the sword-like leaves, and hummingbirds and bees visit the blooms. Deer tend to pass it by. Leaves last through winter more often if the soil does not get too wet or too dry.
Pairs well with Swamp milkweed, Joe Pye weed, Ostrich fern, and Sedge.
Native range
Europe.