Pacific Coast Iris can be dodgy to divide. You have to do it at the exact correct time in the fall just before they grow roots for the new year. Even then it takes a careful and gentle hand to produce viable divisions that will grow on and bloom. Native warrior must derive its name from from its ease of division. Either way its a fantastic PCI that begins blooming in late April and continues almost to June. Red and raspberry colored flowers are dramatic on a very compact plant to just 10″ tall. Grassy evergreen clumps of foliage do not obscure these precious flowers. Full sun to quite a bit of shade in any soil with reasonable drainage, including clay soils. Water for the first season to establish then none in subsequent years. Highly deer resistant. Long lived. Do not disturb once established. Neglect is its friend.
Genus: Iris
Iris x pacifica ‘Blue Moment’
How can you not fall in love with a blue iris? Its so classic. This vigorous and easy to grow Pacific Coast Iris does blue very well. The large sky blue flowers are marked in the center of the fall with more intricate yellow and black hatch marks. Large growing PCI to 16″ tall and forming imposing clumps of tall evergreen foliage. Blooms late April through May. Full sun to part shade in any soil that drains. Not fussy but dislikes standing water. Water though the first summer to establish then none in subsequent years. Evergreen foliage is nice looking- dies down a bit in winter and returns in spring. Highly deer resistant.
Iris x pacifica ‘Geoff’s’
Our good friend Geoff Beasley gave us this very easy to grow, pretty and floriferous selection of Pacific Coast Iris. The broad flowers are a combination of amber, maroon and even black hatch marks. To 14″ tall and produced from grassy spreading evergreen clumps. Full sun to part shade in virtually any soil with a modicum of drainage. Long lived perennial that is best left undisturbed once established. Blooms appear from late April through May. Highly deer resistant. Water for the first year to establish then none in subsequent years.
Iris x pacifica ‘Watercolor’
Of the 11 species of Pacifica species on the west coast the species I. munzii from the central Sierra Foothills imparts the best blue flower color. Typically a tall growing species to 16″ this cultivar creates amazing large flowers of soft washed blue with ivory edges. A very pleasant color that shows up well in gardens. Full sun to part shade in rich to average soil. This cultivar likes a bit more drainage than others- a product of its I. munzii parentage. Blooms late April through May. Upright grassy deep green foliage is evergreen and forms large clumps over time. Best with a good amount of neglect as all Pacific Coast Iris demand. High deer resistance.
Iris douglasiana (Pacifica) ‘Burnt Sugar’
A groovy selection of our coastal native evergreen douglas iris. From spikey grassy clumps rise 2′ tall flower spikes topped with multiple blooms that are amber and maroon, intricately marked on the interior falls. Blooms April to June. Vigorous clump forming perennial for any soil type where there is not standing water. Regular water to establish the first season then none in subsequent years. Full sun. High deer resistance. To 2′ wide in a few years. Oregon native plant.
Iris cristata
Precious! Amazing little spring blooming iris from the eastern U.S. Tiny green fans of leaves creep along the ground and form interconnected colonies with their long rhizomes. In late March into April 3″ wide soft blue and white flowers appear out of nowhere. The rise above the low foliage to 5″ high. PRECIOUS. The lower petals (the falls) have a zone of darker blue and orange. PRECIOUS. Part shade in rich woodland conditions- excellent under established shrubs or at the fore of borders in the forest. Regular summer water. High deer resistance. Completely disappears in the winter. PRECIOUS. Little spring wonder from the east.
Iris unguicularis
The winter blooming Iris or grass Iris makes us smile as the intense purple/blue flowers with intricate yellow and white markings appear sporadically from November to spring. Grassy upright green foliage offers some weather protection for the flowers which come off and on in mild stretches. Not over the top showy but the individual flowers are stunning at a time of the year when stunning is in short order. Spreads to form evergreen colonies in full sun and well drained soil. Little supplemental water once established. High deer resistance. Long, long lived perennial persisting in old gardens for decades. Place it where you can see it in the winter. Near an entrance for example Mediterranean.
Iris x pacifica ‘Violetta’
Far and away the darkest purple PCI that we’e encountered. This hybrid heavily draws fro the excellent and floriferous species Iris inanimate. Grassy fine foliage is evergreen forming substantial clumps in virtual any soil in part shade to full sun. One clump produces many flowers of the the deepest black purple. To 1′ tall and 2′ wide in time; Little to no summer water when established. Resents disturbance. Highly deer resistant.
Iris x pacifica ‘Baby Lilac’
I found this naturally occurring hybrid at the intersection of the species Iris tenax and Iris douglasiana in the southern Oregon coast range. There are 11 Pacific coast species and finding a true hybrid with knowledge of the parents in the wild is rare. Pacific coast iris are most closely related to Siberian Iris. These guys crossed the land bridge from Alaska and speciated. Its still possible to cross Pacifica Iris with Iris sibirica. These are known as Calsib hybrids. This is a sturdy evergreen large clump forming Iris with large pale lilac flowers with intricate markings on each lower petal. Full sun to part shade in virtually any soil with little summer water. Water to establish the first season and then none necessary in subsequent years. Excellent plant for wild areas. Cold hardy. Leaf clumps are evergreen and flop a bit in the winter. A very heavy blooming plant- a large clump can have 25-30 flowers. Highly deer and rabbit resistant. Oregon native plant.
Xera Plants Introduction.
iris lazica
Formerly lumped with the winter blooming Iris- I. unguicularis this larger form blooms later February into April. Large simple violet blue flowers appear within the large evergreen foliage. Foliage is large, one inch wide, rich green, and good looking all the time. Full sun to quite a bit of shade. Very very drought tolererant when established. Low maintenance plant that works very well as a small scale year round ground cover. to 14″ tall and spreading several feet wide. High deer resistance. Long lived. Excellent in concert with Hellebores, Cardamine trifolia, and Cyclamen coum.