Iris 'Black Gamecock'
Best dramatic perennial for gardeners with moist, waterside landscapes.
Introducing the Iris 'Black Gamecock', a stunning Louisiana iris variety that brings dramatic elegance to your garden. This perennial boasts striking, near-black blooms with a velvety texture and golden throats, reaching an impressive six inches wide. Flowering in early summer, it thrives in moist conditions, making it perfect for waterside, meadow, or woodland settings. 'Black Gamecock' is a low-maintenance, hardy plant that reliably spreads, growing to about three feet tall and wide, offering resilience against pests and temperature fluctuations for a timeless landscape addition.
$13.95
Owner Satisfaction
4.6
/ 5
Category Rank
1072
/ 2693
#1072 in Plants
Price vs Category Average
-68%
Below average
SKU
49797
Who it's for
- Gardeners seeking high-contrast, sophisticated floral color palettes
- Landscapers managing boggy soil or water-adjacent planting zones
- Low-maintenance gardeners wanting reliable, vigorous perennial growth
Who should skip it
- Gardeners with dry soil or limited irrigation capabilities
- Plant lovers desiring a long-lasting, season-long floral display
- Busy homeowners preferring hands-off, maintenance-free garden beds
Performance breakdown
Visual Impact
Velvety near-black petals create a sophisticated focal point in any garden.
Environmental Adaptability
Thrives across a wide range of zones with impressive temperature resilience.
Maintenance Ease
A reliable perennial that requires minimal intervention once established.
Landscape Versatility
Perfectly suited for waterside, meadow, or woodland planting schemes.
Growth Vigor
Rhizomatous habit ensures steady, natural spreading for a lush display.
Bloom Presence
Six-inch wide flowers provide a dramatic, high-impact early summer show.
Key Specs
SKU
49797
Genus
Iris
Variety
'Black Gamecock'
Item Form
Bareroot
Mature Height
3 Feet
Mature Width
3 Feet
Hardiness Zones
4 - 9
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Part Shade
Features
- Striking near-black blooms with velvety texture
- Large flowers up to six inches wide
- Thrives in moist soil conditions
- Low maintenance requirement
- Rhizomatous growth habit ensures spreading display
- Hardy against common pests and temperature extremes
- Ideal for waterside and meadow plantings
- Upright growth habit
What customers say
Customers consistently celebrate the exceptional quality and dramatic design of the 'Black Gamecock' Iris. Reviewers frequently note the plant's impressive vigor and reliable establishment, even in challenging wet garden spots. The deep, near black coloration is a major draw, delivering a sophisticated, high impact visual element that elevates garden aesthetics. Consumers feel this iris offers outstanding value, performing exactly as advertised and quickly becoming a treasured centerpiece.
Know before you buy
While this variety thrives in moist, loamy soil and is excellent for waterside plantings, it does not require standing water. It performs well in standard garden beds as long as the soil remains consistently moist and does not dry out completely.
Since this iris reaches a mature width of three feet and has a rhizomatous growth habit, you should space them about 24 to 36 inches apart to allow for their natural spread.
Yes, 'Black Gamecock' is versatile and adapts well to both full sun and part shade. Keep in mind that while it will bloom in partial shade, you may see slightly more prolific flowering in areas that receive more direct sunlight.
Plant your bareroot iris as soon as possible after receiving it. Ensure the rhizome is planted just below the soil surface in a well-drained, moist area, and water it thoroughly to help it establish.
You can trim back the foliage once it begins to yellow or turn brown in the late autumn. Leaving the foliage until it dies back naturally allows the plant to store energy in the rhizomes for the following season.
Yes, 'Black Gamecock' is rated for hardiness zones 4 through 9. In colder zone 4 climates, it is helpful to apply a layer of mulch around the base in late fall to protect the rhizomes from extreme temperature fluctuations during the winter.
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