Are you looking for a pond plant that not only looks good but is also easy to care for? Then, for example, the water iris would be ideal. It hardly takes any work and is a real eye-catcher.
A garden pond is a magical attraction in the garden. Here you can relax, escape the stress of everyday life and recharge your batteries. The garden pond becomes a special eye-catcher with a selection of different aquatic plants. In addition to the water lily, the exotic-looking water iris, also known as the marsh iris, is very popular here. It is one of the noble pond plants, which is also highly valued as a cleaning plant. It is also one of the easy-care plants, but there are still a few things to consider.
Appearance of the water iris
The water iris is a decorative aquatic plant with bright yellow flowers. It has sword-shaped leaves and offers the small aquatic creatures a sheltered spot thanks to its rich root system. In addition, the root system contributes to the nutrient balance in the pond water.
The water iris is often used to fill up free space around the pond quickly and without much effort.
- Family: Irises
- Botanical name: Iris pseudacorus
- Growth Form: Perennial Herb Plant
The water iris often occurs in nature and is not endangered so far, but it was protected under the Federal Species Protection Ordinance at gesetze-im-internet.de. It is therefore under nature protection and may not simply be dug up near bodies of water.
Optimal site conditions
In order for the water iris to develop well, it is important to create optimal site conditions.
The special thing about the popular aquatic plant is that it can be planted both in the swamp (favourite place) and on the mainland. Here, however, it only reaches a maximum height of about 60 cm, during which time it easily grows to two meters on damp ground.
When planting in water, it should be noted that a depth of 30 cmis not exceeded. In this case the plant cannot develop properly. Otherwise, the aquatic plant needs a location in full sun so that the flowers can develop in all their glory.
» Tip: It is recommended on wasserflora.de to place the water iris in large water baskets, otherwise it will spread too quickly.
Care Measures
Propagation
As mentioned above, the water iris reproduces all by itself. The flower capsules burst and the seeds they contain fall into the water. So you don't really need to worry about propagation.
If you want to place the iris in a different place, you can also propagate via the root rhizomes. Early spring is best for this. When inserting, however, you should keep a distance of at least 50 cm so that the flowers can develop optimally.
As shown in the paradisi.de overview, caution is advised with some garden and pond plants, including the water iris. The rhizomes are full of toxins. The poison can cause skin irritation in humans, so you should definitely wear gardening gloves when transplanting, etc.
Pruning
The plant grows more and more every year. It is therefore unavoidable to use the scissors at some point. After three years at the latest, it is recommended to thin out the plant from the outside.
In autumn, only the dried and withered parts of the plant need to be removed.
Diseases and Pests
The water iris is a robust and hardy aquatic plant that is not necessarily susceptible to diseases or pests.
However, there could be problems if the plant does not get enough moisture at its location. Then the plant grows very slowly or not at all. In addition, the flowering could fail. So be sure to keep it in a damp location.
Wintering
The water iris is a hardy plant. Avoid covering them with mulch or anything similar. You would only harm the plant by doing so.