Iris 'Black Gamecock'

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Common Name: Louisiana Iris

If you’re new to Louisiana Irises, this is the right place to start! You can’t go wrong with this top award winner. It is known for having “outrageous vigor”, multiplying quickly when sited properly in consistently moist to boggy soil or shallow water.

Blooming reliably each year, huge 4-6” blossoms open flat to display their regal velvety deep purple flowers with the narrowest gold signal on each petal. The bloom time varies by climate, but typically ranges from late spring into midsummer. This is certainly one of the most beautiful of all native cultivars!

Louisiana Irises typically bloom after both Siberian and Tall Bearded Irises have finished blooming for the season.

Height:

2.0-3.0 Feet

Spread:

2.0 Feet

Hardiness Zones:

4,5,6,7,8,9,10

Flower Color:

Purple shades

Foliage Color:

Green shades

Sunlight:

Full Sun (> 6 hrs. Direct Sun) Part Shade (4-6 hrs. Direct Sun)

Water Requirements:

Consistent Water Needs

Soil Quality:

Fertile Soil Quality

Soil Chemistry:

Acidic Soil (pH < 7.0)

Bloomtime:

Early Summer Midsummer

Attracts Wings:

Attracts Hummingbirds

Critter Resistant:

Deer Resistant Rabbit Resistant

Growth Rate:

Rapid

Garden Style:

Asian Eclectic Modern Rain Garden Water Garden

Other Features:

Bog Plant Border Plant Cut Flower Mass Planting

Origin:

Native to North America

Louisiana Irises are at their best when grown in wet to boggy soil or in shallow water up to four inches deep. They tend to bloom heaviest when grown in water. However, they can also be grown successfully in the garden as long as a consistent source of moisture is available. The soil should be acidic, as the plants will be more pale in color and overall weaker when grown in soil with a higher pH.

Louisiana Irises bloom best in full sun but will also grow in partial shade. Late spring is the ideal time to transplant the rhizomes, though late summer or early fall is also acceptable. Do not transplant them in the heat of summer or in late fall. Plants will multiply quickly if sited properly.

These plants are heavy feeders, especially in zones where the growing season is relatively short. Provide a dose of liquid fertilizer on a regular schedule for best results.

Provide pine straw or other mulch in the fall, but be sure to pull away the mulch early in the spring to prevent rot.

As their name implies, these plants are native to Louisiana and the southern states. However, they are also cold hardy all the way to zone 4. Louisiana Irises have one of the broadest growing ranges of all perennials, from zones 4-10.

Awards

American Iris Society Award of Merit -- 1986

American Iris Society Honorable Mention -- 1982

American Iris Society Mary Swords DeBallion Medal (highest honor for a Louisiana Iris) -- 1989

Characteristics