Iris 'Benton Judith' (TB) | tall bearded iris 'Benton Judith'

Herbaceous Perennial

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An attractive, clump-forming, rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial bred by Sir Cedric Morris, with upright, strap-like, green leaves and erect stems in late spring and early summer bearing dark purple, velvet-black blooms with purple beards

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or 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): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming, Columnar upright
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
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Tall Bearded irises are herbaceous rhizomatous perennials to 70cm or more, with flowers 10-20cm across, bearded on the falls, in late spring and early summer

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant rhizomes just above soil level. Thrives in a sunny position, in ideally neutral soil with good drainage. See bearded iris cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division of the rhizome shortly from mid-summer to early autumn. See dividing irises

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds
Garden edging
Wall side borders

Pruning

Cut back old flower stems after flowering and remove dying foliage in autumn

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs and snails

Diseases

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