Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous Perennial

Iris unguicularis 'Walter Butt'

Algerian iris 'Walter Butt'

A rhizomatous, evergreen perennial to 30cm, with long, narrow, dark green foliage. Very fragrant, pale lavender flowers, with an orange streak on the falls, appear from late autumn into winter

Synonyms

Iris 'Walter Butt'

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
2 suppliers

Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

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)

Botanical details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
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 well-drained or sharply drained, neutral or slightly alkaline soil. Ideal at the base of a sunny wall

Propagation

Propagate by division from midsummer to early autumn, replanting immediately in flowering positions

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Banks and slopes
Cut flowers
Wall side borders
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut back after flowering

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

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.