Iris ensata 'Jitsugetsu'

You won’t often see this cultivar for sale—and as it’s such a beauty, make sure you buy it (as they say) while stocks last! First off, even though it is called a Japanese water iris and it can indeed grow well in water, it does not have to; Iris ensata 'Jitsugetsu' performs well in garden soil too, but it does prefer a wet or boggy soil. It makes an elegant addition to pond or stream margins, and is also suitable for smaller gardens where it can be used in watertight pots or barrels. Iris ensata 'Jitsugetsu' is suitable for full sun or part-shade.  

The upright, strappy leaves of Iris ensata 'Jitsugetsu' make a great contrast to the showy summer flowers, and what flowers! Each large bloom is white, with hints of chartreuse in the centre, and small purple central petals (or ‘standards’), veined with darker purple. At a maximum height of around 90cm, Iris ensata 'Jitsugetsu' has real elegance, and deserves to be grown as a specimen plant, where it can be untroubled by colourful neighbours.