Perennial · Iridaceae family
Siberian iris
Iris sibirica
In short a 10-second read
Siberian iris (perennial) grows to 0.6–1.2 m tall and 0.6–0.9 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. It flowers in May–June; the flowers are blue, purple, white, yellow or pink. Hardy to −37 °C.
× spread 0.6–0.9 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average to moist soil. Hardy to −37 °C.
Sun
Tolerates several positions — choose to suit the rest of the garden.
Soil and water
average to moist · watering: moderate
Soil: humus-rich, loamy, clay, sandy
Soil pH 5.5–7.5
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 2–5 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Flowers
May–June · blue, purple, white, yellow or pink
Pruning
remove dead and damaged growth (September–November); remove flower stems (as needed)
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–November
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −37 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −37 °C
- Dies back in winter and regrows in spring
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
monkshood
0.8–1.5 m
garden dahlia
0.3–1.9 m
purple coneflower
0.9–1.2 mReady-made Studio combinations that include Siberian iris
Siberian iris, burnet and astilbe with moor grass — for a spot where…
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
When does Siberian iris flower?
In May–June; the flowers are blue, purple, white, yellow or pink.
Does Siberian iris tolerate shade?
It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.
How much space does Siberian iris need?
At maturity 0.6–0.9 m wide and 0.6–1.2 m tall; recommended spacing 41 cm.
Does Siberian iris survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −37 °C.
Where the data comes from
The data is indicative — we are still comparing it with further sources. Last checked 14 October 2026.
Show sources (21)
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — Iris sibirica
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Iris sibirica
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Iris sibirica
- Wikidata (CC0) — Iris sibirica
- Bamberger Staudengarten (Strobler), katalóg
- Staudenkulturen Stade
- RHS - Iris sibirica
- Iowa State Extension - How to Plant Perennials
- RHS - How to grow perennial plants
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- perennials.com (Bressingham/Perennial Resource)
- Invasive plant lists — this species is not on them: EU, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Denmark
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