Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Herbaceous Perennial

Iris 'Before the Storm' (TB)

iris 'Before the Storm'

A clumping-forming, herbaceous perennial with grey-green strap-like leaves to 90cm in height which flowers in summer. The petals are very dark purple, to almost black in colour, with lightly-ruffled edges; beards dark to mid purple

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
4 suppliers

Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Iris may be rhizomatous or bulbous perennials, with narrow leaves and erect stems bearing flowers with 3 large spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer
Name status: Accepted
Horticultural Group: Tall Bearded irises are herbaceous rhizomatous perennials to 70cm or more, with flowers 10-20cm across, bearded on the falls, in late spring and early summer

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, fertile, neutral to slightly acid loam in full sun; sun on the rhizome encourages flowering. See also bearded iris cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division of rhizomes from midsummer to early autumn; see dividing irises

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Remove any dying foliage in autumn, old flower stems can be cut down after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and thrips

Diseases

May be susceptible to aphid-borne viruses, bacterial soft rot and grey moulds; see Iris diseases

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.