Northwest Blooms · Irises
Iris 'Class Ring'
Class Ring Iris
- Height
- 3 feet
- Width
- 1 to 1 1/2 feet
- Flower color
- Burgundy-red and creamy white with orange beards
- Foliage color
- Medium green, upright, sword-shaped foliage
- Bloom time
- Early to midseason
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
About this plant
Iris 'Class Ring' is a tall bearded plicata iris with ruffled flowers that bloom from early to midseason. Deep burgundy-red standards rise above creamy white falls bordered in a broad band of matching wine-red. The color becomes deeper and more concentrated around the shoulders, while warm orange beards touched with violet and white add contrast at the center. Upright, sword-shaped green foliage forms tidy fans beneath the flowering stems.
Introduced in 2010 by hybridizer Keith Keppel, 'Class Ring' received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 2012 and Award of Merit in 2014. Its rich burgundy and cream coloring gives it a strong presence in sunny perennial borders, formal gardens, and dedicated iris beds, while the crisp patterned flowers are especially rewarding where they can be viewed at close range.
Works well in
Formal Gardens · Borders · Cut Flower Gardens · Walkways · Waterwise Gardens
Companion plants
Ninebark · Potentilla · Blue flax · Salvia · Penstemon · Dusty miller · Basket-of-gold
Design tip
Position 'Class Ring' near lighter flowers or foliage that can emphasize its dark burgundy standards and patterned falls. Its strong contrast also makes it useful for punctuating long borders, where several repeated clumps can create rhythm without overwhelming neighboring plants.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Schreiner’s Iris Gardens.
