Invitation Reblooming 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

The Invitation Reblooming Bearded Iris, more formally known as Iris Germanica Invitation, is a distinctive creamsicle showstopper with elegant, snow-white standards, apricot falls, and bushy, bright orange beards. Invitations are strong growers and dependable rebloomers, flowering twice a year - once in late spring, and then again in early fall. They are deliciously fragrant and grow up to 3 feet tall. 

Native to the Mediterranean, the Invitation Iris is definitely a nod to its colorful namesake, the Greek Goddess of Rainbows. Invitations are deer and rabbit resistant and relatively drought tolerant. They are excellent for any cutting garden, mass planted in a natural or woodland garden, and interspersed along borders or walkways. 

Invitation Reblooming Bearded Iris Care

Plant your Iris with the top of the rhizome showing through the surface of the soil. Invitation Irises need slightly acidic soil with good drainage to thrive. The ideal pH for your bearded irises is 6.8. If your soil is claylike, plant in raised beds to ensure drainage and prevent rhizome rot. July through September is the best planting period for Bearded Irises. This will allow them to become more established before winter. Bearded Irises need full sun in colder climates, but can tolerate partial shade in the hottest regions. For best performance and color, in the spring, after the first blooms have faded, feed your Invitation Irises with moderate-nitrogen fertilizer.

Irises of all kinds are vulnerable to Iris Borers. Larvae chew holes in the leaves and tunnel into the rhizome, 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 to remove blooms after they have faded. Do not mulch your irises, especially over the rhizomes.

Invitation Reblooming Bearded Iris Spacing

Iris Rhizomes should be spaced 1 to 2 feet apart, set with their tops barely beneath the soil surface. They look fantastic when grown in tandem with roses, and since irises bloom at different times, depending on their size, you can combine Invitation Reblooming Irises with other types of irises to achieve a longer blooming period. They can also be grown in pots and containers of 12 inches or larger, with excellent drainage.