Siberian Iris ‘Black Joker’

Multi Buy

Size Guide
5.5
5.5" Perennial
3 or more $14.00 ea
Regularly: $14.99 ea

Siberian Iris ‘Black Joker’

Scott's Nursery Ltd.

$14.99
Title

Introduce a mesmerizing touch of dark drama and painterly mystique to your landscape with this rare, exotic masterpiece. Standing crisp and elegant is a refined, compact clump of slender, sword-like, dark grey-green foliage that mimics a luxurious, structural grass. Emerging gracefully above this structured frame are jewel-like blossoms displaying a stunningly intricate three-toned palette. Shimmering like satin in the morning sun, the light blue and lavender-violet standard petals sit atop deeply contrasting, velvety wine-purple and plum-black falls. Each dark lower petal is intricately detailed with prominent veins, a bright golden throat, and a delicate, buttery yellow-gold rim. It creates a highly artistic, sophisticated silhouette that makes any sunny border or water feature look completely extraordinary.
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Plant Details

Mature Size:

18-22" H x 18" W

Zone:

3-9

Watering:

Medium to High

Type:

Herbaceous Perennial

Growth Rate:

Moderate

Light:

Full Sun/Partial Shade

Plant Profile

Common Names:

Black Joker Siberian Iris, Siberian Flag Iris, Peacock Series Siberian Iris

Scientific Name:

Iris sibirica ‘Black Joker’

Type:

Thriller / Compact Aquatic / Ornamental Perennial

Growth Details:

Mature Size: Height of 45–55 cm (18–22 inches) x Width of 45 cm (18 inches).

Growth Habit: Compact, upright, and clumping.

Form: Erect, fan-shaped architectural foliage topped with stiff vertical flower stalks.

Growth Rate: Moderate; builds a solid, established clump over two to three seasons before blooming in maximum profusion.

Flowering: Highly detailed, multi-toned flag-type flowers measuring 2½ to 3 inches across.

Flowering Time: Early summer (blooms reliably after tall bearded irises but right before Japanese irises).

Flower Colour: Soft lavender-blue standards, pearl-blue style arms, and dark velvety plum-black falls delicately trimmed in gold.

Environmental Needs:

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil Preferences: Prefers rich, fertile, moist to wet soils that are moderately acidic (\(5.2 - 6.4\)).

Soil Tolerance: Highly forgiving. Easily tolerates heavy clay, wet soil, loamy, and sandy conditions, but performs poorly in highly alkaline or dry desert ground.

Watering: Moderate to high. Thrives beautifully in water-heavy margins where other perennials often drown.

Container Role: Functions as a stunning, vertical Thriller in aquatic container gardens or damp patio planters.

Special Features:

Disease Resistances: Exceptionally robust; highly resistant to typical iris pests like iris borer and terrestrial crown rot.

Native Species: Derived from species native to the damp meadows and river valleys of Europe and Central Asia.

Fast Growing: Steadily doubles its crown density year after year.

Attracts: Frequently draws in butterflies, native bees, and migrating honeybees.

Uses: Unique cut flowers, rain garden structuring, pond-side accents, and low-maintenance borders.

Resistance: Notably resistant to deer, rabbits, and juglone (black walnut toxicity).

Ornamental & Landscape Value

Seasonal Interest:

Bloom Information: Features multi-petaled flag blossoms with high, exotic showiness and a light, delicate fragrance.

Fall Colour: Strap-like leaves turn a handsome copper-straw yellow in late autumn before melting back for winter dormancy.

Garden Value:

Ornamental Interest: Delivers high artistic contrast through its multi-coloured, gold-rimmed velvety blossoms and crisp, fine-textured grass-like foliage.

Landscaping Uses: Ideal for sophisticated perennial borders, rain gardens, naturalized pond edges, stream margins, bioswales, and cutting beds.

Garden/Landscape Benefits: Provides excellent architectural structure, naturalizes beautifully over time into larger colonies, and easily survives under Black Walnut trees since it is completely immune to juglone toxicity.

Wildlife & Human Value:

Wildlife Value: Offers an invaluable early-summer nectar source for native pollinators and provides structure for local pond-side biodiversity.

Human Value: Perfect for eco-friendly stormwater management (rain gardens) and heavy clay yards where traditional garden irises fail. The unique blooms provide a sophisticated, florist-grade cut flower for home vases.

Planting & Care Guide

Planting Considerations:

Best Time To Plant: Early spring or early autumn when temperatures are cool and moisture levels are naturally high.

Spacing: Space 45–60 cm (18–24 inches) apart from the center to give the compact rhizomes room to safely spread.

Location Tips: Plant with the top of the rhizome resting roughly 1 to 2 inches below the soil surface. Choose damp areas, low garden hollows, or shoreline zones where soil rarely dries out entirely.

Companion Plants: Pairs exquisitely in mass plantings or mixed with Caltha palustris (Marsh Marigold), Astilbes, Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower), and blue Hostas

Care:

Light Requirements: Thrives best in full sun for maximum bloom count, but easily adapts to part shade, especially in hotter southern zones.

Moisture Requirements: Requires plenty of water throughout the active season; thrives in moist, wet, or boggy soils but can handle normal moisture levels if not allowed to bake bone-dry.

Maintenance: Low maintenance. Snip away old flower stems after the blooming period ends to keep the clump looking tidy. Leave the architectural green foliage alone until it naturally withers, then remove faded leaves in late autumn or early spring.

Fertilization: Apply a single application of balanced, organic fertilizer or a light top-dressing of compost once per year in early spring as fresh shoots emerge.

Tolerances:

Damp soil and temporary flooding tolerant, Heavy clay soil tolerant, Black walnut tree tolerant (resists juglone), Cold and deep frost tolerant, Deer and rabbit resistant

Tips For Success:

Thinning/Pinching: Unlike bearded varieties, deadheading will not force reblooming. Leave the plant undisturbed until you notice a clear drop in bloom production (typically every 4 to 5 years), then divide the clump in early autumn.

Support/Staking: Completely unnecessary; the slender, fibrous stems are specifically bred to remain rigid and wind-resistant.

Mulching: Apply a 5 cm (2-inch) layer of shredded leaves or pine bark around the base to preserve moisture and mimic a natural damp meadow setting.

Winter Protection: Apply a fresh layer of mulch over the crown in late autumn to prevent winter frost-heaving, especially during its first season in the ground.