Grow and Care for New Zealand Iris

Grow New Zealand iris in full sun so the fans turn orange, in soil that drains. New Zealand iris is Libertia peregrinans, also called mikoikoi — an evergreen New Zealand plant, not New Zealand flax.

Give it full sun for the orange fans, and soil that drains

New Zealand iris is Libertia peregrinans, an evergreen iris-family plant with stiff fans that turn copper-orange in sun. Give it an open, bright spot. Part shade leaves the fans olive; deep shade turns them green. [1] It is a New Zealand endemic that wanders on thin stolons, so a clump slowly sends new fans a short walk from the mother plant. Soil can be sand, loam, or chalk as long as water moves through. Wet soil around the crown through winter is the primary cause of rot. [2] Once the roots are in, skip extra water except in a long dry spell. A dry mulch helps in a cold, wet garden; the plant is at home about zone 8 and warmer. [3] White bowl-shaped flowers sit among the fans in late spring, then barrel capsules ripen orange. Setting a nursery plant in the ground is on Planting New Zealand Iris.

Comb out dead fans in late winter

This plant stays evergreen, so you do not cut the clump to the ground. After the white flowers fade, snip the spent stalks at the base unless you want the orange capsules. In late winter, comb or pull the brown, dead fans from the base and leave the live orange ones standing. [4] A hard cut-back spoils the upright fans. If a section has gone ragged, lift that piece in spring and reset it — that job is on How to Propagate New Zealand Iris.

1. After bloom, cut spent flower stalks at the base, or leave them if you want the orange capsules.
2. In late winter, comb or pull brown, dead fans from the base. Leave the live orange fans in place.
3. Skip a hard cut to the ground. If the clump is congested, divide it in spring rather than shearing it.

Not New Zealand flax — and not African iris or blue-eyed grass

Shop tags that say New Zealand iris are this orange-fan Libertia. They are also used, loosely, on New Zealand flax, Phormium, a much taller strap-leaf plant grown for bronze or green blades, not these short copper fans. If the tag is Phormium, grow it as flax — see How to Grow New Zealand Flax.

African iris is Dietes, the fortnight lily with taller flower stalks — see How to Grow Fortnight Lily. Blue-eyed grass is Sisyrinchium, a smaller iris-family clump with blue or yellow flowers — see How to Grow Sisyrinchium. Flax lily is Dianella, grown for blue berries — see How to Grow Flax Lily. A bearded iris is a different plant with a thick rhizome sitting on the soil — see How to Grow Irises. Read the Latin. This plant is Libertia peregrinans: short orange fans, white flowers tucked in the leaves, and a wandering stolon. Tags that say Wandering Chilean Iris are still this New Zealand species, not Libertia formosa from Chile.

If the fans stay green or the crown rots after a wet winter, the bed was too shady or too wet. Put the next plant in full sun and draining ground, and skip extra water once the roots are in.