Cheetah Cheese Bearded Iris

24-36" tall x 18" wide. Wake up a sleepy spring with Cheetah Cheese Bearded Iris (Iris germanica). Bright orange-apricot ruffled standards are complemented by flashy garnet splashed falls with tangerine beards. Plant this fragrant late-spring bloomer with other, softer-colored Bearded Iris. Pinch off spent blossoms and cut the flowering stem back to 1-2 inches from the rhizome to prevent seeds from forming once all the flowers have blossomed. Make sure the leaves remain, as they feed the Iris for next year's bloom. Plant in well-draining soil in a location with full sun to part shade (at least six hours of sun). Bearded Iris appreciates consistent moisture until after blooming, then they are quite drought tolerant once established. Plant them in groups of at least three rhizomes (bulbs) for best effect. The sword-like foliage is also a lovely complement to the varied leaves of spring and summer, such as Peonies, Larkspur (Delphinium), and Yarrow (Achillea). For cut flowers, harvest early in the day when the buds are just opening. Place them in a bucket of room temperature water and re-cut them an inch higher at a slant. Keep them in a cool spot out of direct sunlight and enjoy the flower parade.