Giant Blue Iris
Iris giganticaerulea
- Native to:
- United States
Team New Orleans, US Army Corps of Engineers (www.flickr.com)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Iridaceae
- Genus:
- Iris
- Species:
- Iris giganticaerulea
- USDA Symbol:
- IRGI
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Geophyte
- Height:
- 120 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may
- Bloom Colors:
- blue, violet
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Caterpillar Keystone:
- ★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, moisture-retentive clay soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- native to marshy areas of Louisiana
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days
- Germination Time:
- 30–180 days
- Notes:
- Germination can be erratic; fresh seed germinates best. Seeds require moist, cold stratification and may take several months.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).; then Cold-moist stratification for 60 days.
Source: Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Expose to fluctuation outdoor winter temperatures including freezing for 3 months. Gradually increase light and temperature in the spring. * sow fresh or soak old seed; prechill 4 weeks or place outdoors over winter and bring indoors once germinated to avoid temperature shock; transplant at 4 leaves