BLACKBERRY LILY Iris domestica
Characteristics
• Type: Perennial • Bloom Description: Orange dotted with • Family: Iridaceae red • Native Range: Himalayas to Russian Far • Sun: Full sun East • Water: Medium • Zone: 5 to 10 • Maintenance: Low • Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet • Flower: Showy, Good Dried • Spread: 0.75 to 2.00 feet • Fruit: Showy • Bloom Time: July to August • Tolerate: Drought
Culture
Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soils in full sun. Likes moist soils, but poorly-drained ones, particularly in winter, can be fatal. Blackberry Lily flower seed produces a unique eye-catching flower for the garden. The flower has red to black freckled orange blossoms 2 inches in diameter. This perennial is hardy, only requiring a moderate amount of water so it does well in drier, hotter climates. After it has bloomed, shiny black seed clusters that resemble blackberries appear. Blackberry lily makes a great cut flower and it dries nicely too. The flower seed clusters also go well in fall arrangements.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Iris domestica, commonly called blackberry lily or leopard lily, is an erect, rhizomatous perennial which typically grows 2-3' tall. Lily-like, deep orange flowers (to 2" across), heavily spotted with red dots, have 6 petal-like perianth segments. Flowers appear in early to-mid summer in sprays above the foliage on wiry, naked stems typically rising to 3' (less frequently to 4') tall. Sword-shaped, iris-like, medium green leaves (to 10" long) are in flattened fans. Flowers give way to pear-shaped seed pods which split open when ripe (late summer), with each pod revealing a blackberry-like seed cluster, hence the common name of blackberry lily. Spotting on the flowers gives rise to the additional common name of leopard lily. Formerly known as Belamcanda chinensis. Genus named for the Greek goddess of the rainbow.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Iris borers may attack plant rhizomes.
Garden Uses
Borders.