Northwest Blooms · Irises
Iris 'Fire Danger'
Fire Danger Iris
- Height
- 2 1/2 to 3 feet
- Width
- 1 to 1 1/2 feet
- Flower color
- Yellow and reddish purple with pale multicolored beards
- Foliage color
- Medium green, upright, sword-shaped foliage
- Bloom time
- Midseason
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
About this plant
Iris 'Fire Danger' is a tall bearded plicata iris with richly patterned flowers that open in midseason. Deep reddish-purple standards show a subtle wash of yellow near their bases, while bright yellow falls are surrounded by broad, irregular bands of burgundy-purple. Fine darker markings extend inward across the yellow centers, adding depth to the pattern. Pale beards transition through violet to warm rusty brown at their tips. Upright, sword-shaped green foliage forms tidy fans beneath the flowering stems.
Introduced in 2015 by hybridizer Keith Keppel, 'Fire Danger' received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 2017. Its unusual combination of sunny yellow and dark wine-purple gives it a warm, dramatic presence in the garden. Use it in mixed perennial borders, dedicated iris beds, or along circulation areas where the intricate pattern can be appreciated from nearby.
Works well in
Borders · Walkways · Cottage Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens · Waterwise Gardens
Companion plants
Dwarf flowering quince · Santolina · Red hot poker · Blue flax · Gaura · Rock soapwort · Creeping thyme
Design tip
Give 'Fire Danger' some breathing room rather than surrounding it with heavily patterned flowers. Its yellow centers and dark wine markings already provide plenty of detail, so neighboring plants with simple flower shapes or textured foliage create a calmer setting and stronger composition.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Schreiner's Iris Gardens.
