By: Monica Martens, Galveston County Master Gardeners

Bicolor Louisiana irises are a two-for-one addition to the garden. They enhance color variety in the springtime. I have learned to appreciate this group of hybrids, for the striking color combinations they display. 

Here is some botanical vocabulary to help visualize bicolor Louisiana irises. Each plant has a set of petals called the “standards” and a set of sepals called the “falls.” It’s natural to refer to them both as “petals,” but descriptions for irises make a distinction between the two for ease of identification. On a bicolor iris, the standards and falls are different colors. 

Here are some of my favorites, all of which were obtained easily through nurseries. You can find information about them at The American Iris Society’s Iris Encyclopedia online wiki. 

‘EASTER TIDE’ has lavender standards and light-yellow falls. Neither color is loud; rather they are muted and pastel. BotMonica Martins photos 

‘BAYOU TIGER’ is similar, but the colors are both brighter and darker. The standards are purple, and the falls are gray-orange with brown veining, adding a further dimension to the overall color scheme. 

‘HOPE AND GLORY’ has light lilac standards (which seem almost white) and deep lilac falls. 

‘COLORFIC’ has pale lavender standards and red/purple falls. The standards have a beautiful purple line going through the center of each petal. 

‘GLOWLIGHT’ is similar. The standards are white, and the falls are purple 

Here is a third way to think about bicolors. Some irises have been bred to have standards and falls of the same color but in slightly different shades. 

‘I REMEMBER YOU’ is an example. The standards and falls are both rose, but the standards are a lighter shade. Also, as a flower ages the colors can fade in unique ways. If you are growing irises, look for this natural change. 

Complementary colors, light and dark, and subtle differences in shading—these are three ways to think about bicolor Louisiana irises in the garden.