Northwest Blooms · Irises
Iris 'Celebratory'
Celebratory Iris
- Height
- 3 1/2 feet
- Width
- 1 1/2 to 2 feet
- Flower color
- Orange and coral with broad fuchsia fall margins
- Foliage color
- Medium green, upright, sword-shaped foliage
- Bloom time
- Early to late season
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
About this plant
Iris 'Celebratory' is a tall bearded iris with deeply ruffled, full flowers that bloom from early through late season. Domed orange standards carry subtle coral tones, while broad, semi-flaring falls feature an orange center surrounded by a wide fuchsia band that softly diffuses inward. Red to tangerine beards intensify the warm coloring at the center of each bloom. Upright, sword-shaped green foliage forms substantial fans beneath the tall flower stalks.
Introduced in 2014 by American hybridizer Joseph Ghio through Bay View Gardens, 'Celebratory' received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 2016. Its long flowering season and warm orange and fuchsia coloring bring energy to sunny perennial borders, cottage gardens, and dedicated iris beds. Use it toward the middle or back of a planting, repeat several clumps for continuity, or grow it for colorful spring cut-flower arrangements.
Works well in
Cottage Gardens · Borders · Cut Flower Gardens · Walkways · Waterwise Gardens
Companion plants
Potentilla · Rose · Salvia · Veronica · Shasta daisy · Lamb's ear · Creeping phlox
Design tip
Use 'Celebratory' where its warm coloring can carry the eye through a sunny border. Repeating small touches of apricot, coral, or purple elsewhere in the planting will connect its complex colors to neighboring plants without making the overall composition feel overly coordinated.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Schreiner’s Iris Gardens.
