Annual Iris Rhizome Sale

The Iris Society of Austin is holding its annual rhizome sale this Saturday, September 12, at the Zilker Botanical Garden. They'll be set up in the Garden Center, which is over at 2220 Barton Springs Rd. in Austin.

What they're selling are Tall Bearded irises, and they're bringing a wide variety: every color of the rainbow, plus white. If you're not familiar with the term, a rhizome is the thick, horizontal root that you plant to grow the flower, so you're starting with the plant itself rather than a seed. The Tall Bearded variety is the one most people think of when they picture an iris—big, showy blooms that stand tall on their stems.

There's a practical reason these are a good fit for Austin gardens, too. Bearded irises are prized for being drought tolerant, meaning they don't need much water to get by. They do, however, want plenty of sun, so if you've got a bright spot in your yard that doesn't get a lot of rain, these are a natural choice. It's the kind of plant that works with the climate we've got here rather than fighting it.

The sale runs from 9 AM to 2:30 PM, so it's a morning and early afternoon thing—plenty of time to browse through the colors and pick out what you want without having to rush. Rhizomes run from $2 to $10 each, so you can grab a couple of different colors without spending much. The whole thing is in the Garden Center at Zilker, and it's open this Saturday, September 12, from 9 AM to 2:30 PM.