Caesar's Brother is one of the oldest Siberian irises and still one of the best. It blooms heavily in early summer with deep purple flowers marked by a small yellow and white blaze with dark veins.
The clump grows 3 to 3½ feet tall and 1½ to 2 feet wide, and its tall, grassy foliage stays attractive until frost. It is a reliable choice for borders, rain gardens and pond edges, and the flowers are good for cutting.
What it looks like
Flowers in solid deep purple with a small yellow and white blaze at the base of each fall, lined with dark veins. Flowers are held on tall, slender, upright stems just above the foliage. Leaves are narrow, grass-like and mid-green, forming a tall, upright, vase-shaped clump about 36 to 42 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide. Many flowers open at once in early summer. At peak the clump is topped with a crowd of dark purple blooms over fountain-like leaves.
Growing it with lavender
Siberian iris prefers steadier moisture than lavender, so it fits best in a moister border or rain garden nearby, where its early-summer blooms can open just before the lavender begins.
Care
Grow in full sun to part shade in average to rich soil and keep it well watered through the season, especially in spring and early summer. Hardy in zones 3-9. Cut back the foliage in late fall or early spring, and divide crowded clumps in late summer; Siberian iris is not bothered by black walnut.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Iris sibirica
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Flower color: Deep purple with a yellow and white blaze
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Foliage: Mid-green
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Growth habit: Tall, vase-shaped clump
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Mature size: 36–42 in tall × 18–24 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 3–9
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Light: full sun, part sun to part shade
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Bloom start: Early-June
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Peak bloom: Mid-June
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Bloom pattern: Single Flush
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Deer resistance: Resistant
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Pollinator value: Good
Sizes and shipping
Dormant bare-root plant, sold in boxes of 25 per variety (order in multiples of 25). Bare-root plants ship or are picked up March 1–May 31 only. They are soil-free, so they may ship to every state in that window. Dormant plants often show little or no top growth on arrival; plant or heel them in promptly.
Lavender companion · grow guide
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