Welsh Iris Iris 'Welch's Reward' (MTB)

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Iris 'Welch's Reward' (MTB), also known as a type of Bearded Iris, is a perennial plant that is valued for its striking and elegant flowers. The blooms are composed of intricate petals, typically featuring a combination of colors such as deep purples, blues, or even multi-hued patterns that include yellows and whites. The flowers display prominent, fuzzy "beards" on their lower petals, which are a defining characteristic of many Bearded Irises. The foliage of this Iris consists of long, slender, sword-shaped leaves that are a bright, fresh green color. These leaves arise mainly from the base of the plant, creating a dense clump of upright, grass-like form. The leaves may feature a slight arch, giving the plant a graceful presence in the garden. Upon blooming, the flowers are arranged atop sturdy, upright stems that rise above the foliage, and these stems may branch and produce multiple buds. Each flower is intricately shaped with six lobes; three outer hanging petals known as falls, which are often adorned with the attractive beard, and three inner, upright petals called standards, which contribute to the flower's regal appearance. Overall, the Iris 'Welch's Reward' delivers a showy floral display that is both eye-catching and delicate, making it a favored choice for ornamental gardens. It contributes to a traditional or cottage garden aesthetic and is often used in beds, borders, and as a striking specimen plant. The contrast between the vivid flowers and the cool green foliage ensures that this plant makes a significant visual impact wherever it is planted.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Iridaceae
- Synonyms
  Welch's Reward Iris, Miniature Tall Bearded Iris
- Common names
  Iris 'Welch's Reward' (MTB)
Toxicity
- To humans
  The Iris 'Welch's Reward' is part of the Iris genus, commonly known as the bearded iris. Irises contain compounds that can trigger digestive distress. If ingested, the toxicity of the bearded iris may cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. Contact with the sap can also irritate the skin in some individuals. It is advisable to keep this plant out of reach of children who may inadvertently consume its parts.
- To pets
  The bearded iris, including varieties like 'Welch's Reward', can be toxic to pets if ingested. The plant contains compounds that can cause gastrointestinal upset in animals. Symptoms of poisoning from the bearded iris may include drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or abdominal pain. It is important to prevent pets from chewing on or ingesting any part of bearded irises to avoid these negative health effects.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Lavender
- Height
  2 feet 0.61 meters
- Spread
  1 feet 0.3 meters
- Plant type
  Bulb
- Hardiness zones
  3
- Native area
  Cultivar

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attracts Pollinators: The Iris 'Welch's Reward' is known to attract bees and butterflies, which can help pollinate your garden.
- Low Maintenance: Once established, it requires minimal care, making it an ideal choice for gardeners seeking low-maintenance plants.
- Drought Resistance: It is relatively drought-tolerant, making it suitable for gardens in arid climates or for water-wise landscaping.
- Architectural Interest: With its unique form and foliage, it adds structural interest to garden designs and landscaping.
- Seasonal Color: The plant blooms in spring, providing a pop of color when many other plants are just beginning to grow.
- Easy Propagation: It can be easily propagated by division, allowing gardeners to expand their collection without additional cost.
- Versatility: It's suitable for a variety of garden settings, including borders, beds, and rock gardens.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Iris petals can be used as a natural dye for fabrics, providing a gentle range of colors from yellow to green depending on the mordant used.
- The fibers from Iris leaves can be processed to create a strong, lightweight paper, traditionally used in some cultures for artistic applications.
- Pressed Iris flowers can be employed in decorative arts, particularly for creating botanical prints or book embellishments.
- Fresh or dried Iris flowers can add a visually arresting element to potpourri mixes, contributing to the overall aesthetic and fragrance.
- Iris rhizomes, particularly when dried, can be incorporated into homemade potpourris or scent sachets to impart a subtle fragrance.
- Due to their unique form and color, Iris blossoms may be used in making natural jewelry, such as pendants or earrings, when covered with a clear resin.
- Iris 'Welch's Reward' can be an inspiring subject for botanical illustrators and photographers, with its intricate patterns and colors offering a rich study.
- The plant's seed pods have a distinctive shape that can be utilized in dried floral arrangements to add an exotic and sculptural quality.
- Water from a vase holding Iris flowers, rich in nutrients from the stems, can be reused to water household plants, instead of being discarded.
- In floral language and symbolism, gifting Irises can convey a message of valor and compliments, as well as being a traditional symbol of royalty and elegance.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The iris is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The iris is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Faith: The Iris is often associated with faith and hope, symbolizing the trust one must have that things will unfold as they should.
- Wisdom: Historically, the Iris represents wisdom and valued knowledge, perhaps because of its connection to the Greek goddess Iris, who was a messenger of the gods and a symbol of communication and new endeavors.
- Courage: In some contexts, the Iris is a symbol of courage, indicating an ability to face the world's challenges with grace and bravery.
- Purity: The elegant form and often light colors of Irises can symbolize purity and innocence, highlighting untainted beauty.
- Royalty: The Iris sometimes represents royalty or nobility, possibly due to its regal appearance and stately presence in a garden setting.

💧

Every 3-10 days

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 3-4 years

Repotting

🌱️

Late Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
The Miniature Tall Bearded Iris, commonly known as the Iris 'Welch's Reward', thrives when its soil is kept evenly moist but not overly saturated. Water the plant thoroughly once a week with roughly one gallon of water per square yard of soil, ensuring that the water penetrates deeply into the ground to encourage strong root growth. During the hot summer months, you may need to water twice a week if the weather is particularly dry or hot. Decrease watering frequency in the fall as the plant prepares for dormancy, and resume regular watering in early spring when the plant starts active growth.
Light
Miniature Tall Bearded Irises like 'Welch's Reward' perform best in full sun exposure, receiving at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. A location that provides bright, morning sunlight with some protection from intense afternoon heat is ideal. These lighting conditions encourage strong growth and vibrant blooms.
Temperature
The ideal temperature range for Miniature Tall Bearded Irises like 'Welch's Reward' is between 35°F and 85°F. These plants can survive minimum temperatures of approximately 20°F, though prolonged periods below freezing can damage them. Similarly, they can tolerate brief periods of heat above 85°F, but excessively high temperatures may stress the plant.
Pruning
Prune Miniature Tall Bearded Irises like 'Welch's Reward' after blooming by cutting flower stalks down to the base to encourage healthy growth and prevent disease. Additionally, remove any dead or damaged leaves at the base. The best time to conduct thorough pruning is in late summer or early fall, which helps prepare the plant for winter and stimulates better growth for the following season.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The best soil mix for Miniature Tall Bearded Iris, such as 'Welch's Reward', is well-draining, moderately fertile, and neutral to slightly acidic, with a pH around 6.8 to 7. A mix of loamy garden soil, compost, and coarse sand or perlite is ideal to ensure adequate drainage and fertility.
Repotting
Miniature Tall Bearded Iris generally do not need repotting often. They can be lifted and divided every 3 to 5 years to maintain vigor and to prevent overcrowding, which is a common time to refresh the soil and repot if necessary.
Humidity & Misting
Miniature Tall Bearded Iris prefer outdoor conditions with average humidity levels and do not require high humidity. Adequate spacing between plants helps ensure good air circulation which can mitigate any potential humidity-related issues.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Position near a sunny window; ensure soil is well-draining.
- Outdoor
  Plant in well-drained soil with full or partial sun exposure.
- Hardiness zone
  3-9 USDA
Life cycle
Iris 'Welch's Reward', more commonly known as a type of Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB) iris, begins its life cycle when a seed germinates, typically in the spring or early summer months, after experiencing a period of cold stratification. The seedling develops roots and a small rhizome, which is a horizontal underground stem characteristic of irises, from which leaves start to emerge. As the rhizome grows, it produces more leaves and starts to establish a clump. After a year or two, depending on conditions, the iris reaches maturity and is capable of flowering; flowering usually occurs in spring and is marked by the plant producing distinctive, colorful blooms that are often purple, blue, or yellow. Following the blooming period, the flowers are pollinated, leading to the production of seeds, and the foliage continues to photosynthesize and store energy in the rhizome for the next season. As autumn approaches, the iris enters a period of dormancy, where above-ground foliage dies back, and the plant conserves energy in its rhizome over the winter to begin the cycle anew in the spring.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Late Summer
- Propogation: Iris 'Welch's Reward', a Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB) iris, is commonly propagated through division, typically done in late summer after the blooming period, when the plant's growth has slowed. To perform division, the gardener digs up the iris clump and gently separates the rhizomes, ensuring each section has one or more leaf fans. These individual rhizomes are then replanted at or just below the surface of the ground, spaced about 8 to 12 inches (20 to 30 centimeters) apart to allow for ample growth. It is crucial to avoid burying the rhizomes too deeply to prevent rot. Watering should be moderate to establish the iris in its new location, promoting root growth without causing the rhizome to rot.