Sunfisher is one of the deepest yellow Siberian irises, with light yellow upright petals over richer yellow falls. It is also one of the earliest Siberian irises to open, starting the season in early summer.
Plants reach about 28 inches tall and 1½ to 2 feet wide with slender, grassy foliage. It brightens borders, rain gardens and pond edges, and the flowers are good for cutting.
What it looks like
Flowers with light yellow upright standards and deeper golden yellow falls with faint darker veining near the base. Flowers are held on slender, upright stems above narrow, grass-like green leaves. The plant forms an upright, vase-shaped clump about 28 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide. Many flowers open together in early summer. At peak the clump is topped with a cluster of glowing yellow blooms.
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: Light yellow standards over deep yellow falls
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Foliage: Green
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Growth habit: Upright, vase-shaped clump
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Mature size: 28 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: Late-May
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Peak bloom: Early-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.