Morning Iris

Morning Iris (Orthrosanthus multiflorus) is the small native tussock for a border that needs true blue flowers and almost no work. The foliage clump sits at about 40cm high and wide, with slender spikes lifting the display to roughly 60cm through spring. Each papery flower opens early and closes by midday, which is where the name comes from, though a settled clump carries enough buds to keep going for weeks.

Why you'll love it

• Genuine blue flowers. Clear soft blue is rare among Australian natives, and this one gives it in quantity.
• It fits a real garden. At 40cm wide and 60cm tall in flower it never needs cutting back to size.
• Tough where it counts. Frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, salt tolerant and content in poor sandy soil.
• Evergreen structure. Fine strappy foliage holds through winter, so the planting still reads as deliberate out of flower.
• Bees and butterflies work it. A useful filler between larger natives in a pollinator garden.

Where it works best

Borders and edging. Plant 40cm apart along a path or the front of a bed. At that spacing the clumps touch without merging, so the line stays crisp.

Mass planting and rockeries. The same 40cm spacing suits a drift. On a rockery it takes the sharp draining pockets between stones, where softer plants sulk.

Pots and coastal gardens. A 300mm pot holds a clump for years, and on an exposed block it handles salt wind well enough for the front row.

Growing Morning Iris in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the heaviest flowering; light shade is tolerated but the flower count drops. This suits warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean gardens. It is frost hardy, so cold inland and tableland districts are fine. Skip it in the humid tropics and wet subtropics, where a muggy summer rots the crown.

Soil. Drainage matters far more than fertility, and sandy or gravelly ground suits it well. On heavy clay, plant on a raised mound with coarse compost through the bed, and keep mulch thin and clear of the crown.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then taper to occasional deep soaks. Feed once in early spring with a low phosphorus native fertiliser. Rich feeding gives soft floppy leaves and fewer flowers.

Pruning. Cut spent spikes off at the base once flowering finishes. Every three or four years, shear the clump back to about 10cm in late winter to clear tired foliage and lift the flowering again.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes in two sizes: single tubes, and 140mm plants in packs of ten. Tubes are young, a small fan of leaves rather than a formed clump, and they suit a long border if you can wait a season. The 140mm plants arrive with a fuller crown and a season of growth behind them, which is why most people planting a whole bed take the pack.

Strappy foliage travels well, though expect a few creased leaves in the box; they straighten or trim off cleanly. Look for roots moving within a month in warm weather, a full clump by the end of the first year, and the first real flowering in the second spring. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery, and covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing with ornamental grasses and strappy foliage
• Browse the grasses and strappy leaf range
• Compare rockery plants for sharp drainage
• Planning a native garden for wildlife

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Space plants 40cm apart for a massed border or drift. That gives each clump its full width while the planting still reads as continuous.

Do the flowers really only last a morning?

Each individual flower does, opening early and closing around midday. The spike carries many buds that open in succession, so the clump keeps flowering for several weeks in spring.

Will it handle frost?

Yes. It is frost hardy and suited to cool temperate gardens, including frosting inland and tableland districts. Young tubes appreciate shelter through their first winter; established clumps need nothing.