Iris sibirica ‘Illini Charm’

Siberian Iris Iridaceae

An old-fashioned Siberian iris that has lost none of its charm — quite literally. Bred by Steve Varner of Illini Iris and introduced in 1975, ‘Illini Charm’ was raised from ‘Sensenbach No. 6’ × ‘Tealwood’, seedling V273. It received a High Commendation in 1974 and an Honourable Mention in 1976, and was already being offered by Illini Iris in its 1975 catalogue. 

The flowers are an unusually pretty combination of light wine and lilac, with broad, flaring falls carrying a conspicuous white signal. The overall effect can appear almost pink from a distance, but closer inspection reveals the more sophisticated wine-lilac colouring. Narrow, arching blue-green foliage forms a handsome clump and remains attractive long after flowering.

‘Illini Charm’ is an early to late flowering cultivar, unusually long-season for a Siberian iris, and makes an excellent plant for a moist herbaceous border, beside a pond or stream, or anywhere that soil remains reliably moist. It is tough, long-lived and perfectly capable of being left undisturbed for years to build a substantial clump. 

Height: 60–70cm
Spread: 45–60cm
Flowering: May–June
Position: Full sun to partial shade
Soil: Moist, fertile, humus-rich; tolerates heavier soils
Hardiness: H7, approximately −20 to −15°C