Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Wish Me Luck Siberian Iris: Early Yellow for the Moister Border
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Wish Me Luck Siberian iris brings a burst of butter yellow to early summer. Its ruffled flowers are about 4 inches across, with deeper yellow falls under paler yellow upright standards, and each well-branched stem carries several buds so the show lasts. Below the flowers, narrow grassy leaves form a neat upright clump about 2 feet tall.
It is a lavender companion with one condition: it likes more water than lavender does, so it fits best a few steps away rather than in the same dry bed.
Wish Me Luck at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Iris sibirica 'Wish Me Luck' |
| Flowers | Yellow falls with paler yellow standards, about 4 inches, ruffled |
| Foliage | Narrow, green and grass-like |
| Size | 24 to 26 inches tall, 18 to 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts early June, peaks mid-June |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Deer | Resistant |
How it fits a lavender garden
Yellow and purple sit opposite each other on the color wheel, so a drift of yellow iris within sight of a lavender planting makes both look brighter. The timing is a relay rather than a duet: Wish Me Luck opens in early to mid-June, just before most lavender begins, which stretches the color season at the front end of summer.
Because Siberian iris wants steady moisture, plan it for the low spot, the downspout corner, a rain garden or the edge of a pond, while lavender takes the higher, drier ground. After the flowers fade, the grassy foliage stays upright and fresh, giving a fine vertical texture all summer. Map the wet and dry zones of your yard in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Soil: average to rich, kept moist. It will not thrive in lavender's lean, dry gravel.
- Water: keep it well watered through the season, especially in spring and early summer, and deeply in hot, dry spells.
- Bare root planting: set the rhizome about an inch deep with the roots spread, then water in well.
- Cleanup: cut the foliage back in late fall or early spring. Established clumps need no winter mulch.
- Dividing: split crowded clumps in late summer.
Siberian irises are rarely troubled. They get far less iris borer damage than bearded irises, and they are not bothered by black walnut, which is handy in older Michigan yards.
For the vase
Wish Me Luck is rated good as a cut flower. Cut stems when the first bud is just opening; the rest will follow in water. Yellow iris with fresh-cut lavender from the first harvest makes a cheerful early-summer arrangement. The Cut Flower Planner can help you plan what blooms when.
Frequently asked questions
Can I plant it right in my lavender bed?
It is better nearby. The iris wants moisture that would leave lavender with wet roots.
Is it fragrant?
No. It is grown for its color and form rather than scent.
Is it safe around pets and kids?
Iris rhizomes and leaves are irritating and can cause stomach upset if eaten, so it is grown only as an ornamental.
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