Lion King puts on one of the biggest flower shows of any iris. Its fully double blooms reach 7 to 8 inches across, with wide grape-purple edges that feather into pure white centers and a small sunny yellow signal at the base of each ruffled petal.
In moist, rich soil it grows tall and stately, 3 to 4 feet, and blooms in early summer, about a month after the Siberian irises. Plant it by a pond, in a rain garden or in a damp border where it can be the focal point, and divide it every 3 to 4 years.
What it looks like
Gigantic, fully double flowers 7 to 8 inches across with broad, widely ruffled petals layered flat, each petal white in the center with a wide grape-purple border that feathers inward along the veins. A small sunshine-yellow signal sits at the base of each petal. Flowers are held on tall, upright stems above narrow, sword-shaped green leaves. The plant forms a tall, upright clump 36 to 48 inches tall and 24 to 28 inches wide. At peak the huge purple-and-white blooms look like dinner plates above the leaves.
Growing it with lavender
Japanese iris wants rich, steadily moist soil that would rot lavender, so give it its own spot at a pond edge, in a rain garden or in a low, damp part of the yard.
Care
Plant in full sun to part shade in rich, acidic to neutral soil that stays consistently moist, especially from spring through bloom; they do well at pond edges but should not sit underwater in winter. Hardy in zones 4-9. Avoid lime, cut spent stems after flowering, and divide every 3-4 years in late summer to keep clumps vigorous.
At a glance
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Botanical name: Iris ensata
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Flower color: Grape purple edges feathering into white centers
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Foliage: Mid-green
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Growth habit: Tall, upright clump
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Mature size: 36 in–4 ft tall × 24–28 in wide
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USDA hardiness zones: 4–9
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Light: full sun, part sun to part shade
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Bloom start: Mid-June
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Peak bloom: Late-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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