Iris Snow Queen
Notify MeIntroduced in 1900 and still one of the cleanest white iris in cultivation, 'Snow Queen' opens pure white flowers with a golden-yellow blotch deep in the throat, held on straight stems above narrow grassy leaves. Botanically it belongs to Iris sanguinea, a close relative of the Siberian iris, and it is grown and cared for as one. Flowering runs November to January.
White iris carry a long way in low light, which makes this a good choice for the far end of a garden, a shaded pond edge, or a border that is mostly seen in the evening. It works in white and green schemes, in cottage planting, and in a group where the gold throats read as a repeated detail. Excellent cut.
Grow it in an open position, or dappled shade, in soil that stays moist through summer. Like the Siberians it tolerates ordinary garden conditions and only objects to being baked or waterlogged. Plant the rhizomes shallowly and space them 45 cm apart. Split the clump during autumn dormancy every few years, which is also the easiest time to move it.
Stems rise to 0.75 or 0.9 m over a clump of about 0.6 m.
Trimming: Clear spent stems as they finish, and shorten the foliage once it browns in late autumn. Divide during autumn dormancy, replanting healthy outer pieces at the same depth.
Deadheading: Worth doing on a white cultivar. Browning petals show much more against white than against a dark colour, so take each flower off as it collapses.
Fertilising: Feed once as growth begins, then spread compost over the root area. Do not bury the rhizome under mulch, as it needs to sit shallow.
Watering: Water from September until the flowers open, and during dry spells afterwards. Steady moisture gives more flowers per stem.
Pest Control: Mollusc damage shows up far more on white flowers than on coloured ones, so clear hiding places near the clump before spring growth starts, and bait or trap early.
Disease Management: Both of the common iris fungal problems turn up in humid weather. Cut out marked leaves, sweep up every dead leaf once the plant dies down, and avoid overhead watering, which keeps the foliage wet longer than it needs to be.
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