Black Is Black Bearded Iris Bulbs

Light Needs

Part Sun to Full Sun

(5+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

2.5-3 ft.

Mature Spread

1-2 ft.

Growing Zones

3 to 9

Black Is Black Bearded Iris Bulbs produce remarkably dark purple-black flowers with velvety, heavily ruffled petals and matching blue-black beards. Iris germanica 'Black Is Black' reaches about 37 inches tall, with well-branched stems capable of carrying 9 to 12 flowers above upright blue-green foliage. The 4½-inch blooms arrive in midseason, creating a strong late-spring focal point in borders and cutting gardens. This is our favorite near-black iris and the color is absolutely mesmerizing beside pale flowers and silver-toned foliage.

Introduced by Schreiner in 2010, Black Is Black received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 2012, an Award of Merit in 2014, and the John C. Wister Medal in 2017. This tall bearded iris is hardy in USDA zones 4-9 and gradually develops broader clumps as its rhizomes increase. Use it along sunny walks, through perennial beds, in cutting gardens, or as a dark accent among lighter spring flowers. Deer and rabbits generally avoid bearded iris, and established clumps tolerate periods of dry weather.

Black Is Black Bearded Iris Bulbs Care

Plant Black Is Black Bearded Iris Bulbs from late summer into early fall, setting each rhizome shallowly so its upper surface remains exposed or sits barely beneath the soil. Full sun supports the heaviest flowering, although partial sun can work if plants receive at least five hours of direct light. Select a location with well-drained loamy or sandy soil with a neutral to mildly alkaline pH around 6.5 to 8.0, improving heavy clay or using a raised planting area.

During the first season, soak the root zone thoroughly when the soil has dried several inches down. Mature plants usually manage on rainfall except during extended dry periods in spring and early summer. Scatter a low-nitrogen fertilizer around the clump as spring growth begins and reapply lightly about a month after flowering to support the next season's rhizome development. Keep mulch and heavy organic debris away from the exposed crowns so air can circulate around them.

Remove individual faded flowers as they finish, then cut the entire flower stalk close to the base once blooming is complete. Leave healthy foliage through summer and trim declining fans to roughly 4 to 6 inches in late fall, clearing old leaves from the planting area. Divide crowded clumps every three to four years in late summer and replant firm outer rhizomes with healthy roots and fans.

Black Is Black Bearded Iris Bulbs Spacing

Space rhizomes about 15 to 18 inches apart, giving each clump enough room to expand and receive good airflow. For container culture, use a broad pot at least 12 inches deep with generous drainage holes and a coarse, fast-draining potting mix, keeping the rhizome crown close to the surface. In zones 4-5, protect exposed pots from repeated hard freezes by moving them to a sheltered unheated location or insulating the container through winter.

Black Is Black Bearded Iris Bulbs Companion Plants

Sea thrift works well along the front of a sunny iris planting because it stays compact, prefers sharp drainage, and flowers close to the ground beneath the tall dark stems. Zinnias can follow the iris season in a large container or cutting bed, supplying summer flowers after the bearded iris has finished in the same sunny exposure. False cypress can provide an evergreen backdrop for the near-black spring flowers in larger beds.

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