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Key characteristics

Classification: Tall Bearded Iris (TB)
Height: 3 feet
Width: 1 1/2 to 2 feet
Flower color: Golden yellow with broad warm brownish-rose margins
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

Irises

Iris 'Summer Shadow'

Summer Shadow Iris

Iris 'Summer Shadow' is a tall bearded iris with ruffled flowers that open in midseason. Golden-yellow standards rise above matching falls edged broadly in warm brownish rose, with the color softly blending inward toward the yellow centers. Deep golden-yellow beards complement the warm coloring of the blooms. Upright, sword-shaped green foliage forms tidy fans beneath the flowering stems and provides structure throughout the growing season.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate; drought tolerant once established

Bloom time

Midseason

Find this plant

Works well in

Cottage Gardens
Borders
Cut Flower Gardens
Walkways
Waterwise Gardens

Companion plants

Ninebark · Rose · Coneflower · Blanket flower · Penstemon · Blue fescue · Stonecrop

Design tip

Use 'Summer Shadow' to warm up a planting dominated by cooler blues, purples, and greens. Its golden and brown-rose coloring makes a useful transition between contrasting sections of a border, especially when the iris is repeated in small groups rather than concentrated in one spot.