Wild Purple Iris Flower Seeds
These Siberian Iris are the Ruffled Velvet variety (Iris sibirica). Very durable for zones 3-10 these Siberian Iris have long green vegetation with dark purple flower petals that have a slightly ruffled edge. Hardy in the garden and also make a great cut flower with a long vase life.
Soil temperature: 72 - 75 degrees Fahrenheit
Germination lighting: Light required
Plant spread: 6 inches
Plant height: 30''
Plant Type: Perennial
Maturation days: 365 days.
Iris will grow in zones 3-11 and prefer moist roots. We grow them in our test gardens and water them like all our other flowers, and they profusely flower from late March to May and provide dark green foliage until your first hard frost in the fall. In the fall their leaves will brown were here in zone 7 we cut them back to the ground in late November. Seeds are easy to germinate but your plant will not flower the first year. Once grown they are easy to subdivide and create new plants.
You can start indoors in pots, but if indoors they will have to be vernalized no matter the zone. If starting in pots use sterilized potting soil made of 1 part peat to 1 part sand. Or you can use a commercial seed starting soil as long as it is sterilized. Soak the seeds in very warm tap water for eight hours, or nick the outer shell of the seed with a file or paring knife, and then sow about 1/4" deep. Keep your soil moist and water from the bottom. Iris are very slow to germinate and it may take up to 30 days. Even if a seed fails to germinate by spring scatter those in your garden as an Iris seed is good for up to 18 years. Once seedlings are 2" tall add a 1/4 strength liquid fertilizer like Miracle Grow to your water. As they get bigger you can increase the strength of the liquid fertilizer.
We do prefer to direct seed them directly in our garden in the fall and in the first year, in the late spring, transplant them where we want them in our garden. In fall we work for our garden beds 6" and scatter these Iris seeds in the area we want them and cover with a light dusting of peat. In early spring you will see thick spear shapes leaves start to emerge from your garden bed. Once they germinate the plants will come back every year without any cold weather. If you are cutting for your vase, cut when the flower is still closed but has full color. This will look like a thick pencil with a colored head.
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