Species Rocky Mountain iris
purple-blue-yellow-white flower, and green stem

Rocky Mountain iris

Iris missouriensis

Rocky Mountain Iris (Iris missouriensis) is a wildflower native to the Rocky Mountains. The plant features bright purple, yellow, white, or pinkish petals and narrow green foliage that grows up to two feet tall. This hardy perennial blooms from mid-May to mid-July with delicate flowers featuring a subtle fragrance. It is drought tolerant and grows best in the moist soils of western mountain meadows and foothills. Rocky Mountain Iris makes a transplant ok addition to any garden, landscape, or wild area, giving an unmistakable pop of brilliant color at the peak of summer.

Cycle:

Herbaceous Perennial

Watering:

Frequent

Propagation:

Division,Seed Propagation,Cutting,Layering Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

3 - 8

Flowers:

Violet blue Flowers

Sun:

Full sun Partial sun

Soil:

Sandy Loamy Clay Rocky

Fruits:

blue,purple,violet Fruits Ready In Fall

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green

Growth Rate:

Low

Maintenance:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Generally, Rocky Mountain iris should be watered deeply once a week. Before watering, check the soil to make sure it is not already saturated. Rocky Mountain iris prefer moist, but not wet conditions. Water until the soil feels slightly damp to the touch, and then wait until the top inch of the soil is dry before watering again. Avoid overwatering, especially during cooler months. Water at the base of the plant, near the roots, to avoid damping off diseases.

sunlight

Rocky Mountain iris (Iris missouriensis) grows best in full sun and typically prefers around 6-8 hours of direct sunlight each day. This plant species favours direct sunlight most in the mornings and late afternoons, but can also do well in partial sunlight for a few hours each day. Rocky Mountain iris generally needs protection from mid-day heat as temperatures above 25°C (77°F) can damage the iris plants. Because of this, it is best to avoid full, direct sunlight during mid-days.

pruning

Rocky Mountain iris (Iris missouriensis) should be pruned once a year in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins. Prune the plant by removing any dead or damaged foliage, as well as any seed pods that have developed. Also prune off any excess or overly long foliage that may be detracting from the plants natural beauty.hese pruning steps should be done after the iris blooms in mid-to-late spring. It is important to not prune the flower stalks, as these are needed for the plant to continue blooming in the following year. Prune the iris gently as the leaves and flower stalks are fragile.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Rocky Mountain iris typically start flowering in May.

Harvest Fruit

The best time to start harvesting the fruits from Iris missouriensis is in July and August.

Hardiness Map