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Herbaceous PerennialBulbs

Iris latifolia 'Queen of the Blues'

English iris 'Queen of the Blues'

A perennial bulb, to around 60cm high in flower, with upright, narrow, incurved grey-green leaves. Flowers are large, and pale violet blue flecked with purple, and have broad, rounded falls with a white throat marked with a narrow yellow stripe

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Chalk

Moisture

Moist but well–drained

pH

Neutral, Alkaline

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Iris may be rhizomatous or bulbous perennials, with narrow leaves and erect stems bearing flowers with 3 large spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist but well-drained neutral or slightly alkaline soil, preferably in a sunny spot where the soil does not dry out. See bulb iris cultivation for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division, see dividing iris for more detailed advice

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, slugs, snails and thrips

Diseases

May be susceptible to aphid-borne viruses, bacterial soft rot and grey moulds; see Iris diseases

Get involved

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