Libertia peregrinans Plants - Outdoor GROW TROPICALS
Libertia peregrinans — 9cm / 0.5L9cm / 0.5L
New Zealand Iris

Libertia peregrinans

£8.99
Hardy in the UKSun-lovingEvergreenLoved by pollinators
Pot size
9cm / 0.5L £8.99

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Description

The Libertia peregrinans, better known as the New Zealand Iris, is one of the most useful evergreen structure plants for a sunny, exposed garden. It forms low, spreading clumps of stiff, narrow blades flushed with vivid orange and bronze, a colour that burns brightest through winter and in full sun. Sprays of small, pure white flowers rise in early summer, followed by long-lasting orange seed pods, giving this compact New Zealander a season-long presence.

What sets it apart is that fiery winter foliage. While much of the garden fades, Libertia peregrinans glows warm orange and copper, earning its place at the front of any exotic border or gravel scheme. Rated RHS H4, it is fully hardy across most of the UK, shrugging off wind and salt spray once its roots are down. For a fuller picture of how hardy exotics behave through the year, see our what to expect guide.

Water through the first summer to establish, after which it becomes impressively drought tolerant, making it a natural choice for dry and gravel gardens. Its neat, evergreen habit and bright winter tones also make it a superb container plant, holding its own in a display of plants for pots. Lift and divide congested clumps in spring to keep the colour fresh.

A brilliant, low-fuss evergreen for year-round structure, Libertia peregrinans sits perfectly within our wider range of hardy exotics. Every plant we supply is nursery-grown, selected for strong, healthy growth and a well-developed root system, and packed with care to arrive in superb condition.

Live Arrival Guarantee

All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit, and every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something is not right on arrival, we will make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.

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What to Expect

Seasonal by nature: what to expect

  • Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
  • It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
  • Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.

Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons

Delivery & returns

Order by 1pm Monday to Friday for same day dispatch. Every plant travels in protective, plant-safe packaging with tracked delivery.

Changed your mind? See our Return Policy.

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How to care for New Zealand Iris

Plant me in full sun and I will stand a UK winter outdoors.

In their words

What our customers say

Arrived just like the photos - maybe even fuller. Healthy, well-acclimated, and straight into my collection with no issues.

Emily P.

Flawless leaves, stunning variegation, and clearly cared for by experts. It’s already a talking point in my home office.

James R.

Hard to find rare plants that are pet-safe. Ours arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing without any worry.

Sophie L.
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About New Zealand Iris

Libertia peregrinans needs full sun and moist but well-drained soil. It is hardy to around −10°C, standing an average UK winter outdoors.

Good for

Coastal & Exposed Dry & Gravel Gardens Exotic Borders Pots & Containers

Hardiness

TenderVery hardy

RHS H4 · Hardy Exotic · down to around −10°C

reliably hardy to around -10C once established, with a dry winter mulch worthwhile in cold, wet gardens.

Position

Full sunSouth-facingWest-facingExposedSheltered

full sun for the strongest colour, in an open or coastal spot. It shines in coastal and exposed gardens.

Soil

ChalkLoamSandMoist but well-drainedWell-drainedAcid pHAlkaline pHNeutral pH

light, moist but well-drained soil on chalk, loam or sand, across the full pH range. Sharp drainage matters most.

Watering

Water regularly through the first growing season to settle the roots, then only in prolonged dry spells. Once established it is notably drought, wind and salt tolerant. Lift and divide congested clumps in spring to keep the foliage colour bright. Read moreShow less

Water regularly through the first growing season to settle the roots, then only in prolonged dry spells. Once established it is notably drought, wind and salt tolerant. Lift and divide congested clumps in spring to keep the foliage colour bright.

Mature size

Height0.5-1 m
Spread0.1-0.5 m

Reaches full size in 2-5 years

Growth habit

Spreading/groundcover

Flowering

Jun-Jul · White

Seasonal colour

Foliage

Evergreen

Pruning

Evergreen. Comb or pull out dead leaves and cut spent flower stems after flowering; no hard cutback of this orange-tinted clump.

Toxicity

No reported toxicity to people or pets. Despite the common name New Zealand Iris, Libertia peregrinans is generally considered non-toxic and, unlike many true irises, is not known to cause skin irritation.

Native range

New Zealand

Family

Iridaceae

Also known as

Libertia peregrinans

Genus

Libertia
Good to know

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Libertia peregrinans evergreen?

Yes. Libertia peregrinans is fully evergreen, holding its stiff, narrow blades right through winter. The orange and bronze tones are at their most intense in the cold months, when it lifts the whole garden. See our hardy exotics seasonal guide for what to expect.

How hardy is Libertia peregrinans in the UK?

It is rated RHS H4, which makes it fully hardy across most of the UK, tolerating winter lows to around -10C once established. In cold, wet gardens the biggest risk is winter wet rather than cold, so give it sharp drainage and a dry winter mulch.

Where is the best place to plant Libertia peregrinans?

Full sun in a free-draining spot brings out the brightest foliage colour. It is wind and salt tolerant, so it excels in coastal and exposed gardens and, once established, is happy in dry and gravel gardens too.

Can I grow Libertia peregrinans in a pot?

Yes. Its compact, evergreen habit makes it an excellent container plant for year-round structure. Use a free-draining, gritty mix, keep it in full sun and do not let the pot stand wet over winter. It combines well with other plants for pots.

Why is my Libertia peregrinans losing its orange colour?

The orange and bronze tones are strongest in full sun. In too much shade the foliage drifts towards plain green, so move it to a brighter position. Lean, poor soil also tends to intensify the colour compared with rich, heavily fed ground.

Is Libertia peregrinans toxic to pets?

No. Despite the common name New Zealand Iris, Libertia peregrinans has no reported toxicity to cats, dogs or people, and unlike many true irises it is not known to cause skin irritation. It is a safe choice for family and hardy exotic borders.

Does my plant come with a pot?
Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.

It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.

If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit.
How big will my plant be when it arrives?
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.

If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.

That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look.
What makes your plants different from the supermarket or garden centre?
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.

Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.

When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.

We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.

Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.

It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.

Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.

Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help.
Will my plant survive being shipped?
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.

During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.

That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.

The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
Why Grow Tropicals

Plants delivered the way they deserve

Packaged with Care

Packaged with Care

Every order is hand-packed in eco-friendly, protective packaging - refined through thousands of deliveries to ensure your plant arrives healthy, hydrated, and looking its best.

Backed by our Live Arrival Guarantee.

Perfect for Gifting

Perfect for Gifting

From rare collector’s pieces to easy-care favourites, our plants arrive fully potted and ready to enjoy. Add a personalised note at checkout for a thoughtful finishing touch.

Delivered fresh, beautiful, and gift-ready.

Sustainability at Heart

Sustainability at Heart

All plants are ethically sourced from trusted growers, never wild-collected. Every order ships carbon-neutral in minimal-waste packaging.

Good for your home - and the planet.

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Libertia peregrinans
£8.99