Orange King Bearded Iris Bulbs

Light Needs

Part Sun to Full Sun

(5+ Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

40 in.

Mature Spread

18-24 in.

Growing Zones

4 to 9

Orange King Bearded Irises have unusually uniform tangerine-orange flowers with heavily ruffled standards, broad falls and matching beards. Iris germanica ‘Orange King’ reaches about 40 inches tall, with each sturdy stalk carrying two to three branches and six to nine buds for a substantial midseason display. Glaucous-green, sword-shaped foliage forms an upright clump below the flowers and remains attractive in the border after bloom. The saturated orange flowers become even more pronounced beside deeper foliage colors.

Introduced by Schreiner in 2008, Orange King received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 2010. It is a non-reblooming tall bearded iris that flowers in late spring. Plantings gradually expand through rhizome growth into a broader perennial clump. Bearded iris are generally avoided by deer and rabbits and are drought tolerant once established. Use Orange King in cutting gardens, through sunny mixed borders, along fences, or in groups where the tall stems can rise above lower perennials.

Orange King Bearded Iris Bulbs Care

Plant Orange King rhizomes in late summer to fall, ideally several weeks before the ground freezes so roots can establish before winter. Grow in full sun to partial shade in well-drained loamy, sandy, or amended clay soil, setting the rhizome shallowly with its upper surface exposed or barely covered. A neutral to mildly alkaline soil pH is preferred, roughly 6.1 to 8.0.

Water thoroughly after planting and during the first growing season when the upper soil has dried and rainfall is limited. Established clumps usually need supplemental water only during prolonged dry weather because continuously wet soil around the rhizome encourages rot. Apply a low-nitrogen fertilizer in early spring and lightly after flowering to support development of the following year’s buds.

Remove flower stalks near the base after the final buds have finished, and trim declining foliage to about 6 inches in late fall. Clear old leaves from around the clump to reduce places where iris borers and disease can overwinter. Divide crowded plants every three to four years in late summer, replanting firm outer rhizomes with healthy leaf fans.

Orange King Bearded Iris Bulbs Spacing

Space rhizomes about 18 to 24 inches apart to accommodate expanding clumps and maintain air movement around the foliage. For containers, choose a broad pot at least 12 to 14 inches deep with large drainage openings and enough surface area for the rhizome to remain exposed. In zones 4 and 5, move container-grown plants to a sheltered, unheated location during severe winter weather.

Orange King Bearded Iris Bulbs Companion Plants

Blanket flowers share Orange King’s preference for sunny, freely drained beds and continue flowering after the iris season has finished. Cotoneaster can supply a low woody framework nearby, with smaller foliage providing a different texture beneath the tall iris stems. In large containers, petchoa can spread around the outer edge after spring while leaving the iris crown open to air and sunlight.

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