Japanese Roof Iris Shade

The foliage may become a bit floppy with age.

Japanese roof iris shade.

Please donate to support our plants to save the planet project. Growing japanese iris plants are rarely bothered by disease or the borer which often attacks the traditional bearded iris. Also known as japanese roof iris iris tectorum prefers part sun to sun with some afternoon protection and moist to average well drained. Its foliage wide blades like bearded iris curves into an elegant cascade that is such an unusual texture in shade even dry shade.

Japanese roof iris is one of those plants. This simplifies their care and lets you just enjoy the flowers. Worth finding even if by mail order. After noon shade in hot areas will benefit bloom.

Iris tectorum alba has wide white flowers with yellow crests. Other legends indicate it was used to ward off evil spirits. Japenese roof iris as a plant collector rather than a garden designer i adore plants that are a bit out of the ordinary and if they come with a good history or story so much the better. They prefer a sunny to part shade location in rich well drained soil and benefit from the shelter of a wall with western or southern exposure and winter mulch.

It is very delicate and pretty but has an interesting past so it is no wonder that i love it. The japanese roof iris is unique amongst irises because it grows about as well in the shade as in the sun. Japanese roof iris is also useful in wet areas such as around ponds and fountains. If happy it will reseed.

You can enjoy growing japanese iris plants with delicate blooms in moist and shady locations if you provide plenty of acidic water. The colony will slowly increase in size or you can speed the process along by dividing the plants in the fall. Another great iris for shade is called iris tectorum aka japanese roof iris. Some sources suggest that when space became too precious for anything but food crops japanese women who used the powdered rhizomes as a face powder began growing iris tectorum on their thatch roofs.

Its dense fans of broad ribbed glossy green sword like leaves are 12 long. Or perhaps it was for purely pragmatic reasons to help hold the thatch together. It prefers dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought. It can grow in semi shade light woodland or no shade.

Japanese iris are heavy feeders. The short lived flowers come in white alba or blue violet and their form looks like butterflies. Japanese iris iris ensata is also known as japanese water iris. Iris tectorum alba will spread to form an attractive ground.

Native to eastern asia and cultivated in japan for more than 500 years it prefers full sun to partial shade. Like all irises it should be planted with the rhizomes just at the surface of the soil.