Northwest Blooms · Irises
Iris 'Sundown Clown'
Sundown Clown Iris
- Height
- 3 feet
- Width
- 1 1/2 to 2 feet
- Flower color
- Violet-purple and plum-purple with large 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 'Sundown Clown' is a tall bearded iris with ruffled flowers that open from early to midseason. Violet-purple standards are washed with lighter tones through the centers and deepen toward the edges, while the falls are rich plum-purple with a dark, nearly black wash. Large orange beards provide a warm accent against the deeply colored petals. The blooms carry a slight spicy fragrance. Upright, sword-shaped green foliage forms tidy fans beneath the flowering stems.
Introduced in 2014 by American hybridizer Tom Burseen, 'Sundown Clown' brings deep, dramatic coloring to sunny garden plantings. Its rich purple tones work beautifully in mixed perennial borders, cottage gardens, and dedicated iris beds. Plant it where lighter foliage can provide contrast, repeat several clumps through a border, or grow it for distinctive spring cut-flower arrangements.
Works well in
Cottage Gardens · Borders · Cut Flower Gardens · Walkways · Waterwise Gardens
Companion plants
Mock orange · Shrub roses · Foxglove · Coreopsis · Russian sage · Dianthus · Creeping thyme
Design tip
Place 'Sundown Clown' against pale foliage, stonework, or lighter flowers so its deep coloring remains clearly visible from a distance. Repeating a few clumps through the planting creates continuity while preventing the dark blooms from becoming concentrated in one visually heavy area.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Schreiner’s Iris Gardens.
