Description of Iris Types
Tall Bearded (TB) Over 27" tall.
The climax of the bearded iris season! Generally the most popular and widely grown. Large, showy blooms. Peak bloom in late May in Vancouver, WA.
WM (Wister Medal): top award for tall bearded iris.
Border Bearded (BB) 16" – 27.5" tall.
Smaller, daintier versions of the Tall Beardeds, these plants bloom with the TBs late in May in our area. Plant in front of TBs for best viewing.
KM (Knowlton Medal): top award for this class.
Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB) 16" – 25" tall.
Dainty flowers on thin, graceful stems. Blooms with IBs & TBs, toward the end of May in Vancouver, WA. Often called “table Iris,” they are well suited for cut flowers.
WW (Williamson-White Medal): top award for this class.
Intermediate Bearded (IB) 16" – 27.5" tall.
IBs bloom between the Standard Dwarf and Tall Bearded season, early to mid May in Vancouver, WA.
SM (Sass Medal): top award for this class.
Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB) 8" – 16"
Masses of color, rapidly form compact clumps which bloom one month ahead of the tall bearded irises. Very hardy. Usually bloom from mid-April to mid-May in Vancouver, WA.
CD (Cook Douglas): top award for SDBs.
Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB) Up to 8"
Smallest and earliest of the bearded irises. Profuse bloom on excellent compact rock garden and border plants. Prefer cold winter climate. Bloom here in early April.
CWM (Caparne-Welsh Medal): top award for this class.
Japanese (JI)
Blooms about one month after Tall Bearded season—mid June in Vancouver, WA. Plants prefer organic (acidic) soil with heavy feedings of fertilizer from time growth is 6" tall until bloomtime. Water heavily until bloomtime.
(Abbreviations: Reg. SJI=regisetered, Society for Japanese Iris; 3F=3 Falls; 6F=6 Falls; 9F=9 Falls.)
PA (Payne Award): equivalent to AM (Award of Merit) award for JI.
PM (Payne Medal): top award for JI.
Siberians (SIB)
Excellent for flower arranging. Low maintenance, permanent plantings. Bloom before Tall Bearded season, in mid-May in our area. New plantings may take a year to establish before blooming. Tetraploids (Tet.) have heavier foliage and huskier flower stems than Diploids (Dip.).
M-W (Morgan-Wood Medal): top award for this class.
Spurias (SPU)
Hardy through a wide range of climate conditions. They prefer sunny well-drained locations with soils slightly alkaline. Blooms after TB season. Plants tend to be very tall.
NM (Nies Medal): top award for this class.
Pacific Coast Iris Hybrids (PCI)
These bloom late April or early May here, with late Medians. Generally not hardy east of the Cascade Mountains. Tolerant of a variety of well drained acid soils, they can be a challenge to transplant and get established. Mulch heavily in the Northwest, particularly the first winter. Once established, they require little feeding, watering or maintenance.
Arilbreds (AB)
These plants are hybrids of Aril, Onco and Regalia species of the Middle East crossed with bearded irises. They have greater cultural tolerance than the pure species. Plants tend to go dormant during the hot, dry summer. They range in height from about 4" to 48", so watch descriptions! They prefer well-drained soil.
Top awards for this group:
CGW (C.G. White Medal), half or more Aril;
WMM (Mohr Medal), quarter to half Aril.
Louisianas
Large, vigorous plants need plenty of room (3 feet or more for established clumps). The species is a marsh plant so they love water, humusy, acid soils, manure, and lots of mulch. They are quite tolerant of regular garden conditions, but also adapt to tropical climates. Flowers are particularly vibrant in color. Blooms in June in Vancouver, WA.
DEB (Debaillon Medal): top award for this class.