Zone 6 · winter lows -10°F to 0°F
Iris for Zone 6
251 Iris varieties rated hardy through Zone 6, ranked by how many gardeners actually grow them. Zone 6 is the sweet spot — nearly everything hardy grows here.
The Iris that thrive in Zone 6
#1 most savedCelebration Song Iris
Iris tenuissima 'Celebration Song'
#2 most savedGerman Iris Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Mix'
#3 most savedPoem of Ecstasy German Iris
Iris x germanica 'Poem Of Ecstasy'

Siberian Iris 'Paprikash'
Iris x hybrida 'Paprikash'

Dutch Iris Mix
Iris x hollandica 'Mix'

Baboon Bottom Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Baboon Bottom Bearded'

Bewilderbeast KickStart Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Bewilderbeast KickStart'

Immortality Tall Bearded Iris
Iris sibirica 'Immortality'

Ruffled Velvet Siberian Iris
Iris sibirica 'Ruffled Velvet'

Pseudata Iris
Iris pseudata

War Chief Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'War Chief'

Forever Blue Reblooming Dwarf Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Forever Blue Dwarf Reblooming'

Navy Blue Crested Iris
Iris cristata 'Navy Blue'

City Lights Tall Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'City Lights'

Siberian Iris 'Silver Edge'
Iris sibirica 'Silver Edge'

Blue Flag Iris
Iris versicolor

Handmaiden Louisiana Iris
Iris x hybrida 'Handmaiden'

Virginia Iris
Iris virginica 'Carl Amason'

Harvest of Memories Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Harvest Of Memories'

Purple Flame German Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Purple Flame'

Crested Iris
Iris cristata

Harlequin Blueflag 'John Wood'
Iris versicolor 'John Wood'

Titan Bearded Iris
Iris x germanica 'Titan'

Louisiana Iris Wow Factor
Iris x hybrida 'Wow Factor'
Showing the 24 most-saved of 251 Zone 6–hardy Iris varieties. See the full Iris list →
Iris in Zone 6
Will Iris survive a Zone 6 winter?
251 of the 258 Iris varieties in the Sow catalog are rated hardy through Zone 6, where winter lows reach -10°F to 0°F. Hardiness is per-variety, not per-genus — the plants listed above are the ones that hold up; others in the genus are not rated for this zone.
When should I plant Iris in Zone 6?
In Zone 6 the last spring frost typically lands around late April and the first fall frost around mid-October. Planting after the last frost — or in early fall, so roots establish before the ground cools — gives the best establishment. Each plant page lists its own planting months.
Which Iris is best for Zone 6?
Start at the top of the list above: it is ranked by how many gardeners actually save and grow each variety, which is a strong real-world reliability signal. Then narrow by your sun exposure and the mature size that fits the bed.
Keep exploring
See Iris in your Zone 6 yard
Snap a photo of your space and Sow places these varieties in it at true mature size — then keeps the care schedule for everything you plant.