Black Is Black Bearded Iris

Near-Black Blooms That Turn Heads in Late Spring

Black Is Black is a tall bearded iris with velvety, deep purple-black petals so dark they read as pure black in full sun. Sturdy 3-foot stems carry several buds each, so the show unfolds over weeks above a fan of blue-green, sword-shaped foliage that keeps beds looking sharp long after the flowers fade.

Iris rhizomes are famously easygoing: they want sun, average soil, and good drainage, and they ask very little after that. Plant them along a walkway, mix them into a perennial border for contrast against pastels and silvers, or grow a clump in a wide container on a sunny patio where the dark color really registers up close.