Prairie Iris

Iris savannarum

Prairie Iris is a perennial for edging, mid-border, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or moist ground, flowering May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct.

Where to use it in a border

At around 90 cm, it sits best along the front edge, where a low, spreading habit reads best. Give it about 45 cm of room to spread, roughly 2 to the metre when planted in a drift. It is hardy across USDA zones 8a to 10b and rated H4 by the RHS, so check it suits your area before planting.

It appears in our lists of full sun, clay soil, wet soil, pollinator-friendly plants.

Border Builder uses Prairie Iris's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.

Flowering through the year

Worth knowing

• It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
• Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
• Its flowers are valued by bees and other pollinators.

Good companions

Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:

• Bottlebrush 'Little John'to flower when it does not
• Dwarf Yaupon Hollyto edge in front
• Northern Bayberryfor height behind it
• Pacific Wax Myrtlefor height behind it
• Saw Palmettofor height behind it
• Southern Wax Myrtlefor height behind it

Garden styles

Coastal Foundation planting Wildlife garden