His Royal Highness Tall Bearded Iris

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

1 Foot

Growing Zones

4 to 9

His Royal Highness Tall Bearded Iris, more formally known as Iris Germanica ‘His Royal Highness’, is an elegant, tall Iris with ruffled, purple standards and falls, and yellow-splashed beards. His Royal Highness Irises are rebloomers, flowering twice a year, once in late spring, and again in early fall. They are lightly fragrant and grow from 24 to 30 inches tall. 

His Royal Highness Irises are deer and rabbit resistant and relatively drought tolerant. They are a superb choice for any cut-flower garden, mass planted in natural or woodland gardens, and interspersed along borders or walkways. His Royal Highnesses are named for their bold, royal coloring, and are a favorite of growers worldwide. 

His Royal Highness Tall Bearded Iris Care

His Royal Highness Irises need slightly acidic soil with good drainage to thrive. The ideal pH for your bearded irises is 6.8 to 7.0. Do not spread mulch around your Irises. Late summer to fall is the best planting period for these Irises. In cold-winter zones, plant during July or August; in hot zones, plant in September or October. Bearded Irises need full sun in colder climates, but can tolerate dappled shade in the hottest regions. For optimal performance and longevity, in the spring, after the first bloom, feed your irises with moderate-nitrogen plant food or fertilizer.

Irises of all kinds are vulnerable to Iris Borers. Larvae chew holes in the leaves and tunnel into the plant, causing structural and cosmetic damage to the plant. This can be managed by removing affected roots and foliage as quickly as possible, as well as by clearing the bed of past foliage at the end of the growing season. It also helps deadhead blooms after they have faded. Irises work well as dried flowers, too!

His Royal Highness Tall Bearded Iris Spacing

Irises should be spaced 1 to 2 feet apart, set with the tops of their rhizomes barely beneath the soil surface. His Royal Highness Tall Bearded Irises bloom after dwarf irises and before Japanese and Siberian Irises. Group them together to enjoy color all season long. These Irises can also be grown in pots and containers of 12 inches or larger, with excellent drainage.