How to prune winter iris

Remove spent blooms as they finish (autumn–winter); tidy foliage in late spring. Pull or cut individual faded flowers at the base. In late spring, remove dead brown leaves from the clump by hand or with scissors. Keep cuts above the soil surface — don't cut into the crown.

As needed during flowering; annual spring tidy. Winter Iris (Iris unguicularis) blooms from autumn through winter and needs modest pruning. Remove spent flowers as they finish — pick them individually at the base. In late spring, tidy the clump by pulling out dead and brown leaves. Avoid heavy cutting; the grassy foliage protects flower buds developing at the base.

Pull or cut individual faded flowers at the base. In late spring, remove dead brown leaves from the clump by hand or with scissors. Keep cuts above the soil surface — don't cut into the crown.