Northwest Blooms · Irises
Iris 'Magic Ring'
Magic Ring Iris
- Height
- 3 feet
- Width
- 1 to 1 1/2 feet
- Flower color
- Golden yellow, creamy white and deep wine-red
- Foliage color
- Medium green, upright, sword-shaped foliage
- Bloom time
- Early midseason
- Light
- Full sun
- Water
- Moderate, drought tolerant once established
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 8
About this plant
Iris 'Magic Ring' is a tall bearded plicata iris with broad, ruffled flowers that open in early midseason. Golden-yellow standards rise above pale yellow falls that fade to creamy white through their centers. A deep wine-red band circles the outer portion of each fall, shifting from solid color along the edge to finer markings farther inward. Multicolored beards combine deep red, white, and yellow, adding another layer of detail. Upright, sword-shaped green foliage forms tidy fans beneath the flowering stems.
Introduced in 2020 by hybridizer Keith Keppel, 'Magic Ring' received an American Iris Society Honorable Mention in 2022 and Award of Merit in 2024. Its distinctive ring of dark color surrounding luminous centers gives the flowers considerable presence from a distance, making it especially effective in iris beds, sunny borders, and prominent areas where its bold pattern can become a seasonal focal point.
Works well in
Borders · Formal Gardens · Cut Flower Gardens · Foundation Plantings · Waterwise Gardens
Companion plants
Dwarf mugo pine · Shrub cinquefoil · Blue globe thistle · Chocolate flower · Golden flax · Silver sage · Creeping ice plant
Design tip
Repeat 'Magic Ring' in two or three separated clumps rather than concentrating it in one large group. The dark rings create distinct points of emphasis across a planting, while the golden standards visually connect the clumps and help guide the eye through the garden.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Schreiner's Iris Gardens.
