Siberian Iris 'Butter and Sugar'

Iris sibirica 'Butter and Sugar'

Siberian Iris 'Butter and Sugar' is a perennial for mid-border, suited to full sun to partial shade and clay, loam or moist ground, flowering May, Jun.

Where to use it in a border

At around 80 cm, it sits best through the middle of a border, between taller structure behind and edging in front. 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 3a to 8b and rated H7 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 Siberian Iris 'Butter and Sugar''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:

• American Wisteria 'Amethyst Falls'for height behind it
• Apple 'Bramley's Seedling'for height behind it
• Apple 'Cox's Orange Pippin'for height behind it
• Avensto edge in front
• Avens 'Lady Stratheden'to edge in front
• Bee Balm 'Jacob Cline'for height behind it

Garden styles

Cottage garden Wildlife garden