Louisiana Iris (Iris × louisiana)

Description

Louisiana Iris for Sale — North America’s Most Spectacular Native Pond Iris

If you’ve been searching for Louisiana iris for sale, Quinn’s Fins grows Iris × louisiana cultivars right here in our on-site nursery greenhouse. Louisiana irises are the most celebrated group of native aquatic irises in North America — producing enormous blooms up to 6 inches across in every shade from deep velvet red to sky blue to golden yellow. Our Louisiana iris for sale is available in ten outstanding named cultivars, each one a distinct variety with its own color personality: Ann Chowning, Black Gamecock, Colorific, Deb Dix, Full Eclipse, King Creole, Professor Claude, Red Velvet Elvis, Sea Wisp, and Wow Factor. Every Louisiana iris for sale at Quinn’s Fins arrives nursery-grown in a 2″ pot, ready to establish at your pond margin or bog garden.

Why Louisiana Iris for Sale at Quinn’s Fins Outperforms Other Aquatic Irises

Louisiana irises are native North American wildflowers refined through decades of dedicated hybridizing into some of the largest, most colorful, and most ecologically valuable flowering pond marginals available anywhere.

• Enormous blooms up to 6 inches across — among the largest flowers of any pond marginal
• The widest color range of any aquatic iris group — red, blue, purple, violet, yellow, bicolor, and near-black all represented
• Native to the United States — supports local wetland ecosystems, pollinators, and biodiversity
• Tolerates standing water up to 4 inches over the crown — more water-tolerant than most iris species
• Evergreen foliage provides year-round structure at the pond edge — attractive even out of bloom
• Hardy in Zones 4–10 — adaptable across an exceptionally wide climate range
• Deer resistant, rabbit resistant, and generally pest-free
• Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees — outstanding multi-pollinator value

Choose Your Louisiana Iris for Sale — 10 Named Cultivars

Each Louisiana iris for sale at Quinn’s Fins is a distinct named cultivar with its own character. Select the variety that speaks to your design:

• Ann Chowning: Intense, velvety deep red blooms with rich yellow highlights — one of the classic red Louisiana iris cultivars and a perennial favorite among water gardeners. Grows to 40–44″ tall.
• Black Gamecock: An award-winning cultivar and one of the most dramatic pond plants available anywhere. Dark blue to near-black velvety blooms with bright gold signal markings rise on stems to 5 feet tall. A hummingbird magnet and a showstopper at distance.
• Colorific: Striking violet-purple and white bicolor blooms with rich violet veining — an unusual and beautiful color combination. Grows to 30″ tall, early to late spring bloomer.
• Deb Dix: A rich red Louisiana iris cultivar delivering warm, saturated tones that make Louisiana iris such a prized pond plant. Bold sword-like foliage complements the vivid bloom.
• Full Eclipse: Deep, dark violet self — no signal, no distraction. Pure velvety saturated dark violet from falls to standards. Grows to 36″, midseason bloomer.
• King Creole: A classic Louisiana iris cultivar with graceful spring blooms and the reliable performance that has made Louisiana iris the gold standard for pond margin plantings across the southern and mid-Atlantic United States.
• Professor Claude: A distinguished Louisiana iris cultivar with refined spring blooms and bold upright foliage — a versatile performer in pond margins, bog gardens, and moist landscape borders.
• Red Velvet Elvis: Crimson red to dark red-black velvety blooms with lightly ruffled petals. Grows 34–38″ tall — a prolific early to late season bloomer with one of the most evocative names in the iris world.
• Sea Wisp: Soft sea-blue to pale violet-blue flowers with delicate yellow and white signal accents — a serene, cooling presence at the pond edge. Grows to 24–36″ tall.
• Wow Factor: Bright golden-yellow blooms painted with cinnamon-colored veining on 42″ tall stems. Lives up to its name completely.

Growing Louisiana Iris for Sale — Care at a Glance

Light

Louisiana iris performs best in full sun — at least 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily for optimal blooming. It tolerates partial shade but flowering frequency and intensity will be reduced. In hot southern climates (Zones 8–10), light afternoon shade extends the bloom period.

Water & Soil

Louisiana iris thrives in consistently moist to wet, slightly acidic, organically rich soil. It tolerates standing water up to 4 inches over the crown. For pond use, plant in a 12″ wide by 12″ deep container or larger using loamy soil, with water level even with the top of the pot to a maximum of 4 inches over. It also grows exceptionally well in moist terrestrial garden borders without standing water.

Seasonal Growth Pattern

Louisiana iris has an active growing season that differs from most perennials. Active growth occurs from fall through spring — new foliage flushes in October, plants remain evergreen through winter, bloom in spring, then go semi-dormant in summer heat. Foliage browning in late summer is normal dormancy behavior, not decline. Plants reflush vigorously in fall.

Hardiness & Overwintering

Louisiana iris is hardy in USDA Zones 4–10. In Zones 4–6, apply a heavy mulch layer over rhizomes after the first frost. In Zones 7–10, plants overwinter in place without special care. Leave containers in the pond through winter — the water insulates rhizomes from freeze damage.

Fertilizing

Fertilize with aquatic fertilizer tablets pushed into container soil during the growing season. Louisiana irises are hungry plants — consistent feeding produces more vigorous growth and more prolific blooming.

Division

Divide every 2–3 years in late summer to early fall — not spring. Louisiana iris should be divided after summer dormancy as fall growth begins. Replant vigorous new rhizome sections with green growth at their tips immediately. Discard old rhizomes without new growth.

Toxicity Note

All parts of Louisiana iris are mildly toxic — ingestion causes discomfort in humans and is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Wear gloves when handling and dividing rhizomes and wash hands thoroughly afterward.

Nursery-Grown Louisiana Iris for Sale at Quinn’s Fins

Every Louisiana iris for sale at Quinn’s Fins is grown right here in our on-site nursery greenhouse — not drop-shipped or bulk-sourced. Your plant arrives in a 2″ pot, rooted and healthy, ready for a smooth transition into your pond margin, bog garden, or moist landscape border. We grow what we sell.

For more on growing Louisiana iris in ponds and water gardens, visit the Pond Informer’s Louisiana Iris care guide or browse our full selection of pond and water garden plants at Quinn’s Fins.

Louisiana Iris Plant Details