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BogsHerbaceous Perennial

Iris ensata 'Dinner Plate Ice Cream' (Dinner Plate Series)

Japanese water iris 'Dinner Plate Ice Cream'

A clump-forming perennial to 60cm in flower, erect, strap-like green leaves with a prominent midrib rise beneath upright stems bearing flat, up to 15cm wide, double purple blooms with paler lilac-white margins and a yellow centre, in summer

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Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Clay

Loam

Moisture

Poorly–drained, Moist but well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–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: Clump forming
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: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in moist to wet, deep, humus-rich, acid soil, plant rhizomes 7.5cm deep; it thrives at the margins of ponds or streams, but avoid winter waterlogging

Propagation

Propagate by division of rhizomes after flowering from midsummer to early autumn every three years

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Wildlife gardens
Cut flowers

Pruning

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

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails, iris thrip and iris sawfly

Diseases

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

Get involved

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