Iris germanica Au Sommet - Tall bearded iris

Iris germanica 'Au Sommet' is a very vigorous and floriferous variety of Bearded Iris. From mid-May, long flowering stems emerge, bearing large, strikingly architectural and colourful flowers. The pale coppery yellow petals stand upright, while the gracefully drooping horizontal sepals are somewhere between magenta and amethyst. A truly superb variety!

Irises belong to and give their name to the Iridaceae family, which includes dozens of plant genera ranging from temperate to tropical regions. Iris germanica, native to Syria, is the ancestor of modern Bearded Irises. These result from numerous successive cross-breedings to continually produce new colours or colour combinations. They are rhizomatous irises, as opposed to bulbous irises like the Dutch Iris.
'Au Sommet' is a variety bred by the French hybridiser Cayeux, developed in 2013 and released the following year. This cultivar is the result of cross-breeding two horticultural varieties, 'Jazz Festival' and 'Enchanting'.
Iris 'Au Sommet' is notable for its impressive height, reaching up to 1.10m when in full bloom. Its sturdy flower stems hold up well against the wind. It forms a clump around 50cm wide, or even more over time. This robust variety produces long, sword-shaped, ribbon-like leaves that taper gradually to a point, in a beautiful glaucous green. The foliage overlaps to form large fans. It is late-flowering, it blooms between mid-May and late June in average climates, a little earlier in mild climates and later in colder regions. The large flowers (around 13cm) are composed of three petals and three sepals. The upright petals are a pale coppery yellow with a more pronounced border. The sepals extend horizontally before gracefully curving downward. Their colour is a magenta that shifts to amethyst towards the centre, while a coppery border a few millimetres wide accentuates the petals' wavy edges. The "beard", located in the middle section towards the corolla's centre, is copper-coloured. Flowering lasts approximately three weeks, slightly less in poor weather. If spent flowers are not removed, large green, rugby-ball-shaped seed pods form, though it's best to deadhead to prevent the plant from expending unnecessary energy.

Iris 'Au Sommet' will look stunning in a mixed border. Its beautiful flowering period is relatively short, and the plant isn't particularly attractive after this dazzling display. Pair it with other perennial plants or bushes to extend the visual interest. Daylilies will reward you with their ephemeral but continuously renewed blooms over several months. Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofias) with their vibrant spikes also make excellent companions for a sunny, colourful display. In the background, add ornamental-leaved bushes like Smoke Bushes, which also offer delicate, airy flowers. Ensure your Irises remain easily accessible, as they will need dividing every three to four years.