Pardanthopsis
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''Iris'' is a
flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of 310 accepted
species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
with showy
flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
s. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all ''Iris'' species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is flags, while the plants of the
subgenus In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...
'' Scorpiris'' are widely known as
juno Juno commonly refers to: *Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods * ''Juno'' (film), the 2007 film Juno may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters *Juno, a character in the book ''Juno of ...
s, particularly in
horticulture Horticulture (from ) is the art and science of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, trees, shrubs and ornamental plants. Horticulture is commonly associated with the more professional and technical aspects of plant cultivation on a smaller and mo ...
. It is a popular garden flower. The often-segregated,
monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unisp ...
genera '' Belamcanda'' (blackberry lily, ''I. domestica''), '' Hermodactylus'' (snake's head iris, ''I. tuberosa''), and ''Pardanthopsis'' (vesper iris, '' I. dichotoma'') are currently included in ''Iris''. Three ''Iris'' varieties are used in the ''Iris'' flower data set outlined by
Ronald Fisher Sir Ronald Aylmer Fisher (17 February 1890 – 29 July 1962) was a British polymath who was active as a mathematician, statistician, biologist, geneticist, and academic. For his work in statistics, he has been described as "a genius who a ...
in his 1936 paper ''The use of multiple measurements in taxonomic problems'' as an example of
linear discriminant analysis Linear discriminant analysis (LDA), normal discriminant analysis (NDA), canonical variates analysis (CVA), or discriminant function analysis is a generalization of Fisher's linear discriminant, a method used in statistics and other fields, to fi ...
.


Description

Irises are
perennial plant In horticulture, the term perennial (''wikt:per-#Prefix, per-'' + ''wikt:-ennial#Suffix, -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annual plant, annuals and biennial plant, biennials. It has thus been d ...
s, growing from creeping
rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...
s (rhizomatous irises) or, in drier climates, from
bulb In botany, a bulb is a short underground stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology''. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. that function as food storage organs duri ...
s (bulbous irises). They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The rhizomatous species usually have 3–10 basal sword-shaped
leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...
growing in dense clumps. The bulbous species also have 2–10 narrow leaves growing from the bulb.


Flower

The
inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...
s are in the shape of a fan and contain one or more symmetrical six-lobed
flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...
s. These grow on a
pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...
or peduncle. The three
sepal A sepal () is a part of the flower of angiosperms (flowering plants). Usually green, sepals typically function as protection for the flower in bud, and often as support for the petals when in bloom., p. 106 Etymology The term ''sepalum'' ...
s, which are usually spreading or droop downwards, are referred to as "falls". They expand from their narrow base (the "claw" or "haft"), into a broader expanded portion ("limb" or "blade"Donald Wyman ) and can be adorned with veining, lines or dots. In the centre of the blade, some of the rhizomatous irises have a "beard", a row of fuzzy hairs at the base of each falls petal which gives pollinators a landing place and guides them to the nectar. The three, sometimes reduced,
petal Petals are modified leaves that form an inner whorl surrounding the reproductive parts of flowers. They are often brightly coloured or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. All of the petals of a flower are collectively known as the ''corol ...
s stand upright, partly behind the sepal bases. They are called "standards". Some smaller iris species have all six lobes pointing straight outwards, but generally limb and standards differ markedly in appearance. They are united at their base into a floral tube that lies above the
ovary The ovary () is a gonad in the female reproductive system that produces ova; when released, an ovum travels through the fallopian tube/ oviduct into the uterus. There is an ovary on the left and the right side of the body. The ovaries are end ...
(This flower, with the petals, and other flower parts, above the ovary is known as an epigynous flower, and it is said to have an
inferior ovary In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule(s) and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the ba ...
, that is an ovary below the other flower parts). The three styles divide towards the apex into petaloid branches; this is significant in
pollination Pollination is the transfer of pollen from an anther of a plant to the stigma (botany), stigma of a plant, later enabling fertilisation and the production of seeds. Pollinating agents can be animals such as insects, for example bees, beetles or bu ...
. The iris flower is of interest as an example of the relation between flowering plants and pollinating insects. The shape of the flower and the position of the pollen-receiving and stigmatic surfaces on the outer petals form a landing-stage for a flying insect, which in probing for nectar, will first come into contact with the
perianth The perianth (perigonium, perigon or perigone in monocots) is the non-reproductive part of the flower. It is a structure that forms an envelope surrounding the sexual organs, consisting of the calyx (sepals) and the corolla (petals) or tepal ...
, then with the three stigmatic
stamen The stamen (: stamina or stamens) is a part consisting of the male reproductive organs of a flower. Collectively, the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filament ...
s in one whorled surface which is borne on an ovary formed of three
carpels Gynoecium (; ; : gynoecia) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ...
. The shelf-like transverse projection on the inner whorled underside of the stamens is beneath the overarching style arm below the stigma, so that the insect comes in contact with its pollen-covered surface only after passing the stigma; in backing out of the flower it will come in contact only with the non-receptive lower face of the stigma. Thus, an insect bearing pollen from one flower will, in entering a second, deposit the pollen on the stigma; in backing out of a flower, the pollen which it bears will not be rubbed off on the stigma of the same flower. The iris fruit is a capsule which opens up in three parts to reveal the numerous seeds within. In some species, the seeds bear an
aril An aril (), also called arillus, is a specialized outgrowth from a seed that partly or completely covers the seed. An arillode, or false aril, is sometimes distinguished: whereas an aril grows from the attachment point of the seed to the ova ...
, such as ''
Iris stolonifera ''Iris stolonifera'' is a plant species in the genus '' Iris''; it is also in the subgenus '' Iris'', and in the section ''Regelia''. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the mountains of Turkestan, between Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. ...
'' which has light brown seeds with thick white aril.


Etymology

The genus takes its name from the
Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...
word ''îris'' "
rainbow A rainbow is an optical phenomenon caused by refraction, internal reflection and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a continuous spectrum of light appearing in the sky. The rainbow takes the form of a multicoloured circular ...
", which is also the name for the Greek goddess of the rainbow,
Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (given name), a feminine given name, and a list of peopl ...
. Some authors state that the name refers to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species.


Taxonomy

''Iris'' is the largest
genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of the
family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Iridaceae Iridaceae () is a family of plants in order Asparagales, taking its name from the Iris (plant), irises. It has a nearly global distribution, with 69 accepted genera with a total of about 2500 species. It includes a number of economically importan ...
with up to 300 species – many of them natural hybrids.
Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...
lists 310 accepted species from this genus as of 2022. Modern classifications, starting with Dykes (1913), have subdivided them. Dykes referred to the major subgroupings as
sections Section, Sectioning, or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...
. Subsequent authors such as
Lawrence Lawrence may refer to: Education Colleges and universities * Lawrence Technological University, a university in Southfield, Michigan, United States * Lawrence University, a liberal arts university in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States Preparator ...
(1953) and Rodionenko (1987) have generally called them
subgenera In biology, a subgenus ( subgenera) is a taxonomic rank directly below genus. In the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a subgeneric name can be used independently or included in a species name, in parentheses, placed between the ge ...
, while essentially retaining Dykes' groupings, using six subgenera further divided into twelve sections. Of these, section ''Limneris'' (subgenus ''Limneris'') was further divided into sixteen
series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used i ...
. Like some older sources, Rodionenko moved some of the bulbous subgenera (''Xiphium'', ''Scorpiris'' and ''Hermodactyloides'') into separate genera (''Xiphion'', ''
Juno Juno commonly refers to: *Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods * ''Juno'' (film), the 2007 film Juno may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters *Juno, a character in the book ''Juno of ...
'' and ''Iridodictyum'' respectively), but this has not been accepted by later writers such as
Mathew Mathew is a masculine given name and a variant of Matthew. It is also used as a surname. As a given name Notable people with the given name include: * Mathew Baynton (born 1980), English actor and comedian * Mat Erpelding (born 1975), Americ ...
(1989), although the latter kept ''Hermodactylus'' as a distinct genus, to include ''Hermodactylus tuberosus'', now returned to ''Hermodactyloides'' as '' Iris tuberosa''. Rodionenko also reduced the number of sections in subgenus Iris, from six to two, depending on the presence (''Hexapogon'') or absence (''Iris'') of
arils An aril (), also called arillus, is a specialized outgrowth from a seed that partly or completely covers the seed. An arillode, or false aril, is sometimes distinguished: whereas an aril grows from the attachment point of the seed to the ova ...
on the
seed In botany, a seed is a plant structure containing an embryo and stored nutrients in a protective coat called a ''testa''. More generally, the term "seed" means anything that can be Sowing, sown, which may include seed and husk or tuber. Seeds ...
s, referred to as ''arilate'' or ''nonarilate''. Taylor (1976) provides arguments for not including all arilate species in ''Hexapogon''. In general, modern classifications usually recognise six subgenera, of which five are restricted to the
Old World The "Old World" () is a term for Afro-Eurasia coined by Europeans after 1493, when they became aware of the existence of the Americas. It is used to contrast the continents of Africa, Europe, and Asia in the Eastern Hemisphere, previously ...
; the sixth (subgenus ''Limniris'') has a
Holarctic The Holarctic realm is a biogeographic realm that comprises the majority of habitats found throughout the continents in the Northern Hemisphere. It corresponds to the floristic Boreal Kingdom. It includes both the Nearctic zoogeographical reg ...
distribution. The two largest subgenera are further divided into sections. The Iris subgenus has been divided into six sections; bearded irises (or pogon irises), Psammiris, Oncocyclus, Regelia, Hexapogon and Pseudoregelia. Iris subg. Limniris has been divided into 2 sections; Lophiris (or 'Evansias' or crested iris) and Limniris which was further divided into 16
series Series may refer to: People with the name * Caroline Series (born 1951), English mathematician, daughter of George Series * George Series (1920–1995), English physicist Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Series, the ordered sets used i ...
.


Evolution

The concept of
introgressive hybridization Introgression, also known as introgressive hybridization, in genetics is the transfer of genetic material from one species into the gene pool of another by the repeated backcrossing of an interspecific hybrid with one of its parent species. Introg ...
(or "introgression") was first coined to describe the pattern of interspecific hybridization followed by
backcrossing Backcrossing is a crossing of a hybrid with one of its parents or an individual genetically similar to its parent, to achieve offspring with a genetic identity closer to that of the parent. It is used in horticulture, animal breeding, and produc ...
to the parentals that is common in this genus.


Subgeneric division


Subgenera

* ''
Iris Iris most often refers to: *Iris (anatomy), part of the eye * Iris (color), an ambiguous color term *Iris (mythology), a Greek goddess * ''Iris'' (plant), a genus of flowering plants * Iris (given name), a feminine given name, and a list of peopl ...
'' (Bearded rhizomatous irises) * '' Limniris'' (Beardless rhizomatous irises) * '' Xiphium'' (Smooth-bulbed bulbous irises: Formerly genus ''Xiphion'') * '' Nepalensis'' (Bulbous irises: Formerly genus ''Junopsis'') * '' Scorpiris'' (Smooth-bulbed bulbous irises: Formerly genus ''
Juno Juno commonly refers to: *Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods * ''Juno'' (film), the 2007 film Juno may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters *Juno, a character in the book ''Juno of ...
'') * '' Hermodactyloides'' (Reticulate-bulbed bulbous irises: Formerly genus ''Iridodictyum'')


Sections, series and species


Distribution and habitat

Nearly all species are found in
temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...
Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...
zones, from
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
to
Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
and across North America. Although diverse in ecology, ''Iris'' is predominantly found in dry,
semi-desert A semi-arid climate, semi-desert climate, or steppe climate is a dry climate sub-type. It is located on regions that receive precipitation below potential evapotranspiration, but not as low as a desert climate. There are different kinds of sem ...
, or colder rocky mountainous areas. Other habitats include grassy slopes, meadowlands, woodland, bogs and
riverbanks In geography, a bank is the land alongside a body of water. Different structures are referred to as ''banks'' in different fields of geography. In limnology (the study of inland waters), a stream bank or river bank is the terrain alongsid ...
. Some irises like '' Iris setosa'' can tolerate damp (bogs) or dry sites (meadows), and ''
Iris foetidissima ''Iris foetidissima'', the stinking iris,Richard Fitter, Alastair Fitter and Marjorie Blamey gladdon, Gladwin iris, roast-beef plant, or stinking gladwin, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae, found in open woodland, hedgebank ...
'' can be found in woodland, hedge banks and scrub areas.


Diseases

''
Narcissus mosaic virus Narcissus mosaic virus (NMV) is a plant pathogenic virus in the genus '' Potexvirus'' and family ''Alphaflexiviridae'', which infects '' Narcissus''. It can also affect Iris (plants). Description Isolated in the Netherlands and the UK from ''N ...
'' is most commonly known from '' Narcissus''. Wylie ''et al.'', 2014, made the first identification of ''Narcissus mosaic virus'' infecting this garden plant genus, and the first record in
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. '' Japanese iris necrotic ring virus'' also, commonly infects this genus. It was, however, unknown in Australia until Wylie ''et al.'', 2012, identified it in Australia on '' I. ensata''.


Cultivation

Iris is extensively grown as
ornamental plant Ornamental plants or ''garden plants'' are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars th ...
in home and
botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...
s.
Presby Memorial Iris Gardens Presby Memorial Iris Gardens is a nonprofit, living museum specializing in iris flowers, located at 474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Montclair in Essex County, New Jersey, New Jersey, United States. The gardens are situated on 6.5 acres. Adjacent ...
in New Jersey, for example, is a living iris museum with over 10,000 plants, while in Europe the most famous iris garden is arguably the
Giardino dell'Iris Giardino dell'Iris is a botanical garden specializing in the cultivation of iris (plant), iris flowers, symbol of Florence since 1251. It is located on the corner of Viale dei Colli and Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy, and open daily wit ...
in
Florence (Italy) Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
which every year hosts a well attended iris breeders' competition. Irises, especially the multitude of bearded types, feature regularly in shows such as the
Chelsea Flower Show The RHS Chelsea Flower Show, formally known as the Great Spring Show,Phil Clayton, ''The Great Temple Show'' in ''The Garden'' 2008, p.452, The Royal Horticultural Society is a garden show held for five days in May by the Royal Horticultural So ...
. For garden cultivation, iris classification differs from taxonomic classification. Garden iris are classed as either
bulb In botany, a bulb is a short underground stem with fleshy leaves or leaf basesBell, A.D. 1997. ''Plant form: an illustrated guide to flowering plant morphology''. Oxford University Press, Oxford, U.K. that function as food storage organs duri ...
iris or
rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...
iris (called rhizomatous) with a number of further subdivisions. Due to a wide variety of geographic origins, and thus great genetic diversity, cultivation needs of iris vary greatly. Generally, Irises grow well in most garden soil types providing they are well-drained, depending on the species. The earliest to bloom are species like '' I. reticulata'' and '' I. reichenbachii'', which flower as early as February and March in the Northern Hemisphere, followed by the dwarf forms of '' I. pumila'' and others. In May or June, most of the tall bearded varieties start to bloom, such as the German iris and its
variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
''florentina'', sweet iris, Hungarian iris, lemon-yellow iris ('' I. flavescens''), '' Iris sambucina'', and their natural and horticultural hybrids such as those described under names like ''I. neglecta'' or ''I. squalens'' and best united under '' I. × lurida''. The iris is promoted in the United Kingdom by the British Iris Society. The
National Collection The UK National Collection is a collection of around 280 historic rolling stock, rail vehicles (predominantly of British origin). The majority of the collection is kept at four national museums: * National Railway Museum, York * National Railwa ...
of Arthur Bliss Irises is held in
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...
. The American Iris Society is the
International Cultivar Registration Authority An International Cultivation Registration Authority (ICRA) is an organization responsible for ensuring that the names of plant cultivars and cultivar groups are defined and not duplicated. The ICRA system was established more 50 years ago, and op ...
for ''Iris'', and recognises over 30,000 registered cultivar names.


Bearded rhizome iris

Bearded iris are classified as dwarf, tall, or aril. In Europe, the most commonly found garden iris is a hybrid iris (falsely called German iris, ''I. germanica'' which is sterile) and its numerous
cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...
s. Various wild forms (including '' Iris aphylla'') and naturally occurring hybrids of the Sweet iris (''I. pallida'') and the Hungarian iris ('' I. variegata'') form the basis of almost all modern hybrid bearded irises. Median forms of bearded iris (intermediate bearded, or IB; miniature tall bearded, or MTB; etc.) are derived from crosses between tall and dwarf species like '' Iris pumila''. The "beard", short hairs arranged to look like a long furry caterpillar, is found toward the back of the lower petals and its purpose is to guide pollinating insects toward the reproductive parts of the plant. Bearded irises have been cultivated to have much larger blooms than historically; the flowers are now twice the size of those a hundred years ago. Ruffles were introduced in the 1960s to help stabilize the larger petals. Bearded iris are easy to cultivate and propagate and have become very popular in gardens. A small selection is usually held by garden centres at appropriate times during the season, but there are thousands of
cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...
s available from specialist suppliers (more than 30,000 cultivars of tall bearded iris). They are best planted as bare root plants in late summer, in a sunny open position with the rhizome visible on the surface of the soil and facing the sun. They should be divided in summer every two or three years, when the clumps become congested. A truly red bearded iris, like a truly
blue rose A blue rose is a flower of the genus ''Rosa'' (family Rosaceae) that presents blue-to-violet pigmentation instead of the more common red, white, or yellow, through use of artificial means such as dyes. Blue roses are often used to symbolize myst ...
, remains an unattained goal despite frequent hybridizing and selection. There are species and selections, most notably based on the beardless rhizomatous Copper iris ('' I. fulva''), which have a relatively pure red color. However, getting this color into a modern bearded iris breed has proven very difficult, and thus, the vast majority of irises are in the purple and blue range of the color spectrum, with yellow, pink, orange and white breeds also available. Irises like many related
genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...
lack red-based hues because their
anthocyanin Anthocyanins (), also called anthocyans, are solubility, water-soluble vacuole, vacuolar pigments that, depending on their pH, may appear red, purple, blue, or black. In 1835, the German pharmacist Ludwig Clamor Marquart named a chemical compou ...
s are
delphinidin Delphinidin (also delphinidine) is an anthocyanidin, a primary plant pigment, and also an antioxidant. Delphinidin gives blue hues to flowers in the genera ''Viola'' and ''Delphinium''. It also gives the blue-red color of the grape variety Cab ...
-derived.
Pelargonidin Pelargonidin is an anthocyanidin, a type of plant pigment producing a characteristic orange color used in food and industrial dyes. Natural occurrences Presence in flowers Pelargonidin can be found in red geraniums (Geraniaceae). It is the pr ...
-derived anthocyanins would lend the sought-after blue-based colors but these genera are metabolically disinclined to produce pelargonidin.
Dihydroflavonol 4-reductase In enzymology, a dihydrokaempferol 4-reductase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :cis-3,4-leucopelargonidin + NADP+ \rightleftharpoons (+)- dihydrokaempferol + NADPH + H+ Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are cis-3,4 ...
s in ''Iris''s relatives selectively do not catalyse
dihydrokaempferol Aromadendrin (aromodendrin or dihydrokaempferol) is a flavanonol, a type of flavonoid. It can be found in the wood of ''Pinus sibirica''. Metabolism The enzyme dihydrokaempferol 4-reductase uses ''cis''-3,4-leucopelargonidin and NADP+ to prod ...
to
leucopelargonidin Leucopelargonidin is a colorless chemical compound related to leucoanthocyanins. It can be found in ''Albizia lebbeck'' (East Indian walnut), in the fruit of ''Anacardium occidentale'' (Cashew), in the fruit of ''Areca catechu'' (Areca nut), in th ...
, the precursor, and this is probably the case here as well. The other metabolic difficulty is the presence of
flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase In enzymology, a flavonoid 3'-monooxygenase (, was wrongly classified as in the past) is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction :a flavonoid + NADPH + H+ + O2 \rightleftharpoons a 3'-hydroxyflavonoid + NADP+ + H2O The 4 substrates of t ...
, which in ''
Chrysanthemum Chrysanthemums ( ), sometimes called mums or chrysanths, are flowering plants in the Asteraceae family. They are native to East Asia and northeastern Europe. Most species originate from East Asia, and the center of diversity is in China. Co ...
'' inhibits pelargonidin synthesis. The bias in irises towards delphinidin-anthocyanins is so pronounced that they have served as the gene donors for
transgenic A transgene is a gene that has been transferred naturally, or by any of a number of genetic engineering techniques, from one organism to another. The introduction of a transgene, in a process known as transgenesis, has the potential to change the ...
attempts at the aforementioned blue roses. Although these have been technically successful over 99% of their anthocyanins are blue their growth is crippled and they have never been commercializable.


AGM cultivars

The following is a selection of bearded irises that have gained the
Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...
's
Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...
: *'Alizes' (tall bearded, blue & white) *'Bumblebee Deelite' (miniature tall bearded, yellow/purple) *'Early Light' (tall bearded, pale yellow) *'Jane Phillips' (tall bearded, pale blue) *'Langport Wren' (intermediate bearded, maroon) *'Maui Moonlight' (intermediate bearded, pale yellow) *'Orinoco Flow' (border bearded, white/violet) *'Raspberry Blush' (intermediate bearded, pink) *'Sarah Taylor' (dwarf bearded, pale yellow) *'Thornbird' (tall bearded, pale yellow) *'Titan's Glory' (tall bearded, deep blue)


Bearded iris ''Oncocyclus'' section

This section contains the cushion irises or royal irises, a group of plants noted for their large, strongly marked flowers. Between 30 and 60 species are classified in this section, depending on the authority. Species of section ''Oncocyclus'' are generally strict endemics, typically occurring in a small number of scattered, disjunct populations, whose geographical isolation is enhanced by their pollination strategy and myrmecochory seed dispersal. Morphological divergence between populations usually follows a cline reflecting local adaptation to environment conditions; furthermore, this largely overlaps divergence between species, making it difficult to identify discrete species boundaries in these irises. Compared with other irises, the cushion varieties are scantily furnished with narrow sickle-shaped leaves and the flowers are usually borne singly on the stalks; they are often very dark and in some almost blackish. The cushion irises are somewhat fastidious growers, and to be successful with them they must be planted rather shallow in very gritty well-drained soil. They should not be disturbed in the autumn, and after the leaves have withered the roots should be protected from heavy rains until growth starts again naturally.


Bearded iris ''Regelia'' section

This section, closely allied to the cushion irises, includes several garden hybrids with species in section ''Oncocyclus'', known as ''Regelio-cyclus'' irises. They are best planted in September or October in warm sunny positions, the rhizomes being lifted the following July after the leaves have withered.


Beardless rhizome iris (subgenus ''Limniris'')

There are six major subgroupings of the beardless iris, depending on origin. They are divided into Pacific Coast, Siberica, Spuria, Louisiana, Japanese, and other. Beardless rhizomatous iris types commonly found in the European garden are the
Siberian iris ''Iris sibirica'', commonly known as Siberian iris or Siberian flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from Europe (including France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Sl ...
(''I. sibirica'') and its hybrids, and the
Japanese Iris The term "Japanese iris" encompasses three species of Irises cultivated in gardens or growing wild in Japan: ''hanashōbu'' ('' Iris ensata''), ''kakitsubata'' ('' Iris laevigata'') and ''ayame'' (''Iris sanguinea''). Of these three species, ' ...
('' I. ensata'') and its hybrids. "
Japanese iris The term "Japanese iris" encompasses three species of Irises cultivated in gardens or growing wild in Japan: ''hanashōbu'' ('' Iris ensata''), ''kakitsubata'' ('' Iris laevigata'') and ''ayame'' (''Iris sanguinea''). Of these three species, ' ...
" is also a catch-all term for the Japanese iris proper (''hanashōbu''), the blood iris ('' I. sanguinea, ayame'') and the rabbit-ear iris (''I. laevigata, kakitsubata''). '' I. unguicularis'' is a late-winter-flowering species from Algeria, with sky-blue flowers with a yellow streak in the centre of each petal, produced from Winter to Spring. Yet another beardless rhizomatous iris popular in gardening is '' I. ruthenica'', which has much the same requirements and characteristics as the tall bearded irises. In North America,
Louisiana iris Louisiana iris is a taxonomic group (''Iris'' ser. ''Hexagonae'') of five Iris (plant), iris species native to Louisiana and surrounding regions of the southeastern United States: ''Iris fulva'', ''Iris hexagona'', ''Iris brevicaulis'', ''Iris gi ...
and its hybrids are often cultivated.


Crested rhizome iris (subgenus ''Limniris'')

One specific species, ''
Iris cristata ''Iris cristata'' (also known as dwarf crested iris and crested iris) is a species in the genus ''Iris (plant), Iris'', and is part of the subgenus of ''Iris subg. Limniris, Limniris''. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, Endemism, endemic to ...
'' from North America.


Bulbing juno iris (subgenus ''Scorpiris'')

Often called '
juno Juno commonly refers to: *Juno (mythology), the Roman goddess of marriage and queen of the gods * ''Juno'' (film), the 2007 film Juno may also refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Fictional characters *Juno, a character in the book ''Juno of ...
s', this type of iris is one of the more popular bulb irises in cultivation. They are generally earliest to bloom.


Bulbing European iris (subgenus ''Xiphium'')

This group includes irises generally of European descent, and are also classified as Dutch, English, or Spanish iris. *'' Iris reticulata'' and ''
Iris persica ''Iris persica'', the Persian iris, is a native plant of Iran. It is particularly known for its beauty and fragrance. One of the first Iris subg. Scorpiris, Juno irises to be described, this species has been in cultivation for centuries and was ...
'', both of which are fragrant, are also popular with florists. *'' Iris xiphium'', the Spanish Iris (also known as Dutch Iris) and *'' Iris latifolia'', the English Iris. Despite the common names both the Spanish and English iris are of Spanish origin, and have very showy flowers, so they are popular with gardeners and florists. They are among the hardier bulbous irises, and can be grown in northern Europe. They require to be planted in thoroughly drained beds in very light open soil, moderately enriched, and should have a rather sheltered position. Both these present a long series of varieties of the most diverse colours, flowering in May, June and July, the smaller Spanish iris being the earlier of the two.


Bulbing reticulate iris (subgenus ''Hermodactyloides'')

Reticulate irises with their characteristic bulbs, including the yellow '' I. danfordiae'', and the various blue-purple '' I. histrioides'' and '' I. reticulata'', flower as early as February and March. These reticulate-bulbed irises are miniatures and popular spring bulbs, being one of the first to bloom in the garden. Many of the smaller species of bulbous iris, being liable to perish from excess of moisture, should have a well-drained bed of good but porous soil made up for them, in some sunny spot, and in winter should be protected by a covering of half-decayed leaves or fresh coco-fiber.


Uses


Aromatic rhizomes

Rhizome In botany and dendrology, a rhizome ( ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and Shoot (botany), shoots from its Node (botany), nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from ...
s of the German iris (''I. germanica'') and sweet iris (''I. pallida'') are traded as
orris root Orris root (''Rhizoma iridis''; etymology possibly an alteration of ''iris (plant), iris'') is the root of ''Iris germanica'' and ''Iris pallida''. It had the common name of Queen Elizabeth Root. It is commonly used as a fixative (perfumery), fi ...
and are used in
perfume Perfume (, ) is a mixture of fragrance, fragrant essential oils or aroma compounds (fragrances), Fixative (perfumery), fixatives and solvents, usually in liquid form, used to give the human body, animals, food, objects, and living-spaces an agre ...
and medicine, though more common in ancient times than today. Today, Iris
essential oil An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid containing volatile (easily evaporated at normal temperatures) chemical compounds from plants. Essential oils are also known as volatile oils, ethereal oils, aetheroleum, or simply as the ...
(
absolute Absolute may refer to: Companies * Absolute Entertainment, a video game publisher * Absolute Radio, (formerly Virgin Radio), independent national radio station in the UK * Absolute Software Corporation, specializes in security and data risk ma ...
) from flowers are sometimes used in
aromatherapy Aromatherapy is a practice based on the use of aromatic materials, including essential oils and other aroma compounds, with claims for improving psychological well-being. It is used as a complementary therapy or as a form of alternative medic ...
as
sedative A sedative or tranquilliser is a substance that induces sedation by reducing irritability or Psychomotor agitation, excitement. They are central nervous system (CNS) Depressant, depressants and interact with brain activity, causing its decelera ...
medicines. The dried rhizomes are also given whole to babies to help in teething.
Gin Gin () is a distilled alcoholic drink flavoured with juniper berries and other botanical ingredients. Gin originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe. The modern gin was modified in Flanders and the Netherlands ...
brands such as
Bombay Sapphire Bombay Sapphire is a brand of gin that is distilled by the Bombay Spirits Company, a subsidiary company of Bacardi, at Laverstoke Mill in the village of Laverstoke in the English county of Hampshire. The brand was first launched in 1986 by Engli ...
and Magellan Gin use orris root and sometimes iris flowers for flavor and color. For orris root production, iris rhizomes are harvested, dried, and aged for up to 5 years. In this time, the fats and oils inside the roots undergo degradation and
oxidation Redox ( , , reduction–oxidation or oxidation–reduction) is a type of chemical reaction in which the oxidation states of the reactants change. Oxidation is the loss of electrons or an increase in the oxidation state, while reduction is ...
, which produces many fragrant compounds that are valuable in perfumery. The scent is said to be similar to violets. The aged rhizomes are steam-distilled which produces a thick oily compound, known in the perfume industry as "iris butter" or orris oil. Iris rhizomes also contain notable amounts of
terpenes Terpenes () are a class of natural products consisting of compounds with the formula (C5H8)n for n ≥ 2. Terpenes are major biosynthetic building blocks. Comprising more than 30,000 compounds, these unsaturated hydrocarbons are produced predomi ...
, and
organic acids An organic acid is an organic compound with acidic properties. The most common organic acids are the carboxylic acids, whose acidity is associated with their carboxyl group –COOH. Sulfonic acids, containing the group –SO2OH, are r ...
such as
ascorbic acid Ascorbic acid is an organic compound with formula , originally called hexuronic acid. It is a white solid, but impure samples can appear yellowish. It dissolves freely in water to give mildly acidic solutions. It is a mild reducing agent. Asco ...
,
myristic acid Myristic acid (IUPAC name: tetradecanoic acid) is a common saturated fatty acid with the molecular formula . Its salts and esters are commonly referred to as myristates or tetradecanoates. The name of the acyl group derived from myristic acid is m ...
, tridecylenic acid and
undecylenic acid Undecylenic acid is an organic compound with the formula CH2=CH(CH2)8CO2H. It is an unsaturated fatty acid. It is a colorless oil. Undecylenic acid is mainly used for the production of Nylon-11 and in the treatment of fungal infections of the s ...
. Iris rhizomes can be toxic. Larger blue flag ('' I. versicolor'') and other species often grown in gardens and widely hybridized contain elevated amounts of the toxic
glycoside In chemistry, a glycoside is a molecule in which a sugar is bound to another functional group via a glycosidic bond. Glycosides play numerous important roles in living organisms. Many plants store chemicals in the form of inactive glycosides. ...
iridin. These rhizomes can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and/or skin irritation, but poisonings are not normally fatal. Irises should only be used medicinally under professional guidance.


Water purification

In water purification,
yellow iris ''Iris pseudacorus'', the yellow flag, yellow iris, or water flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet ''pseudacorus'' means "false acorus", ...
(''I. pseudacorus'') is often used. The roots are usually planted in a substrate (e.g. lava-stone) in a
reedbed A reedbed or reed bed is a natural habitat found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions and estuaries. Reedbeds are part of a succession from young reeds colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground. As ...
-setup. The roots then improve water quality by consuming nutrient
pollutants A pollutant or novel entity is a substance or energy introduced into the environment that has undesired effect, or adversely affects the usefulness of a resource. These can be both naturally forming (i.e. minerals or extracted compounds like oi ...
, such as from
agricultural Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created f ...
runoff. This highly aggressive grower is now considered a noxious weed and prohibited in some states of the US where it is found clogging natural waterways.


In culture

The iris has been used in art and as a symbol, including in
heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and genealo ...
. The symbolic meaning has evolved, in Christendom moving from a symbol of Mary mother of Jesus, to a French heraldic sign, the
fleur-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...
, and from French royalty it spread throughout Europe and beyond.


Art

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art. In just over a decade, he created approximately 2,100 artworks ...
has painted several famous pictures of irises. The American artist Joseph Mason – a friend of
John James Audubon John James Audubon (born Jean-Jacques Rabin, April 26, 1785 – January 27, 1851) was a French-American Autodidacticism, self-trained artist, natural history, naturalist, and ornithology, ornithologist. His combined interests in art and ornitho ...
– painted a precise image of what was then known as the Louisiana flag or copper iris (''
Iris fulva ''Iris fulva'', also known as copper iris, is a species in the genus ''Iris (plant), Iris'', it is also in the subgenus ''Iris subg. Limniris, Limniris'' and in the series ''Louisiana iris, Hexagonae''. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, perenn ...
''), to which Audubon subsequently added two Northern paraula birds ('' Parula americana'') for inclusion as Plate 15 in his '' Birds of America''. The artist
Philip Hermogenes Calderon Philip Hermogenes Calderon (Poitiers 3 May 1833 – 30 April 1898 London) was a British painter of French birth (mother) and Spanish (father) ancestry, who initially worked in the Pre-Raphaelite style before moving towards historical genre ...
painted an iris in his 1856 work ''Broken Vows''; he followed the principles of the
Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood (PRB), later known as the Pre-Raphaelites, was a group of English painters, poets, and art critics, founded in 1848 by William Holman Hunt, John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, William Michael Rossett ...
. An ancient belief is that the iris serves as a warning to be heeded, as it was named for the messenger of Olympus. It also conveys images of lost love and silent grief, for young girls were led into the afterlife by the goddess Iris. ''Broken Vows'' was accompanied with poetry by
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include the poems " Paul Revere's Ride", '' The Song of Hiawatha'', and '' Evangeline''. He was the first American to comp ...
when it was first exhibited. Contemporary artist George Gessert, who introduced the cultivation of flowers as an art form, has specialised in breeding irises.


Local varieties as symbol

''
Iris nigricans ''Iris nigricans'' is a flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is the national flower of Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syri ...
'', the black iris is the
national flower In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used t ...
of
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
. '' Iris bismarckiana'', the Nazareth Iris, is the symbol of the city of Upper Nazareth. The Iris croatica is the unofficial national flower of
Croatia Croatia, officially the Republic of Croatia, is a country in Central Europe, Central and Southeast Europe, on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It borders Slovenia to the northwest, Hungary to the northeast, Serbia to the east, Bosnia and Herze ...
. A stylized yellow iris is the symbol of
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
, since historically the important Saint Gaugericus Island was carpeted in them. The iris symbol is now the sole feature on the
flag of the Brussels-Capital Region The flag of the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium consists of a stylized yellow, grey and white Iris (plant), iris on a blue background. This is the flag of the whole Brussels Region, and the City of Brussels municipality has a differe ...
. In 1998, ''
Iris lacustris ''Iris lacustris'', the dwarf lake iris, is a plant species in the genus '' Iris'', subgenus '' Limniris'' and in the section ''Lophiris'' (crested irises). It is a rhizomatous, beardless perennial plant, native to the Great Lakes region of eas ...
'', the Dwarf Lake iris, was designated the state wildflower of Michigan, where the vast majority of populations exist. In 1990, the
Louisiana iris Louisiana iris is a taxonomic group (''Iris'' ser. ''Hexagonae'') of five Iris (plant), iris species native to Louisiana and surrounding regions of the southeastern United States: ''Iris fulva'', ''Iris hexagona'', ''Iris brevicaulis'', ''Iris gi ...
was voted the state wildflower of
Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
(see also fleur-de-lis:United States,
New France New France (, ) was the territory colonized by Kingdom of France, France in North America, beginning with the exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Kingdom of Great Br ...
), though the state flower is the magnolia blossom. An iris — species unspecified — is one of the state flowers of
Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
. It is generally accepted that the species ''
Iris versicolor ''Iris versicolor'' or ''Iris versicolour'' is also commonly known as the blue flag, harlequin blueflag, larger blue flag, northern blue flag, and poison flag, plus other variations of these names, and in Great Britain and Ireland as purple iris ...
'', the Purple Iris, is the state flower alongside the wild-growing purple passionflower (''Passiflora incarnata''), the state's other
floral emblem In a number of countries, plants have been chosen as symbols to represent specific geographic areas. Some countries have a country-wide floral emblem; others in addition have symbols representing subdivisions. Different processes have been used t ...
.
Greeneville, Tennessee Greeneville is an incorporated town in and the county seat of Greene County, Tennessee, United States. The population as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census was 15,479. The town was named in honor of American Revolutionary War, Revol ...
, is home to the annual Iris Festival celebrating the iris, local customs, and culture. The species ''Iris versicolor'' is also the provincial flower of
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
, having replaced the
Madonna lily ''Lilium candidum'', the Madonna lily or white lily, is a plant in the true lily family. It is native to the Balkans and Middle East, and naturalized in other parts of Europe, including France, Italy, and Ukraine, and in North Africa, the Canary ...
which is not native to the province (see also fleur-de-lis: Canada). The provincial flag of
Québec Quebec is Canada's largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, New Brunswick to the southeast and a coastal border ...
carries the harlequin blueflag (''I. versicolor'', ''iris versicolore'' in
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
).


China

It is thought in China that '' Iris anguifuga'' has the ability to keep snakes from entering the garden. It grows all winter, keeping snakes out, but then goes dormant in the spring, allowing the snakes back into the garden. In the autumn, the iris re-appears and can stop the snakes again.


Ancient Greece

In the ''
Homeric Hymn to Demeter The ''Homeric Hymns'' () are a collection of thirty-three ancient Greek hymns and one epigram. The hymns praise deities of the Greek pantheon and retell mythological stories, often involving a deity's birth, their acceptance among the gods ...
'', the goddess
Persephone In ancient Greek mythology and Ancient Greek religion, religion, Persephone ( ; , classical pronunciation: ), also called Kore ( ; ) or Cora, is the daughter of Zeus and Demeter. She became the queen of the Greek underworld, underworld afte ...
and her companion
nymph A nymph (; ; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, land ...
s (the
Oceanids In Greek mythology, the Oceanids or Oceanides ( ; , ) are the nymphs who were the three thousand (a number interpreted as meaning "innumerable") daughters of the Titan (mythology), Titans Oceanus and Tethys (mythology), Tethys. Description an ...
along with
Artemis In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Artemis (; ) is the goddess of the hunting, hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, transitions, nature, vegetation, childbirth, Kourotrophos, care of children, and chastity. In later tim ...
and
Athena Athena or Athene, often given the epithet Pallas, is an ancient Greek religion, ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft who was later syncretism, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. Athena was regarde ...
) were gathering flowers such as rose, crocus, violet, iris (also called 'agallis' or ἀγαλλίς (in
Greek script The Greek alphabet has been used to write the Greek language since the late 9th or early 8th century BC. It was derived from the earlier Phoenician alphabet, and is the earliest known alphabetic script to systematically write vowels as w ...
), lily, larkspur, and hyacinthR. P. Winnington-Ingram in a springtime meadow before she was abducted by the god
Hades Hades (; , , later ), in the ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, is the god of the dead and the king of the Greek underworld, underworld, with which his name became synonymous. Hades was the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea ...
. It has been suggested that the 'agallis' mentioned was a dwarf iris, as described by leaf and root shape, and identified as
Iris attica ''Iris attica'', the Greek iris, is a plant species in the genus ''Iris'', it is also in the subgenus ''Iris''. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the mountains of the Balkans in Europe, within the countries of Greece, former Yugoslavia, Turkey ...
.


Muslim culture

In Iran and Kashmir, '' Iris kashmiriana'' and '' Iris germanica'' are most commonly grown on
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
grave yards.British Iris Society (1997)


Fleur-de-lis and associated heraldry

French King
Clovis I Clovis (; reconstructed Old Frankish, Frankish: ; – 27 November 511) was the first List of Frankish kings, king of the Franks to unite all of the Franks under one ruler, changing the form of leadership from a group of petty kings to rule by a ...
(466–511), when he converted to Christianity, changed his symbol on his banner from three toads to irises (the
Virgin Virginity is a social construct that denotes the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. As it is not an objective term with an operational definition, social definitions of what constitutes virginity, or the lack thereof ...
's flower). The
fleur-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...
, a stylized iris, first occurs in its modern use as the emblem of the
House of Capet The House of Capet () ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328. It was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians and the Karlings. The direct line of the House of Capet came to an ...
. The fleur-de-lis has been associated with France since
Louis VII Louis VII (1120 – 18 September 1180), called the Younger or the Young () to differentiate him from his father Louis VI, was King of France from 1137 to 1180. His first marriage was to Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of the wealthiest and ...
adopted it as a symbol in the 12th century. The yellow fleur-de-lis reflects the
yellow iris ''Iris pseudacorus'', the yellow flag, yellow iris, or water flag, is a species of flowering plant in the family Iridaceae. It is native to Europe, western Asia and northwest Africa. Its specific epithet ''pseudacorus'' means "false acorus", ...
(''I. pseudacorus''), common in
Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's extent varies depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the Western half of the ancient Mediterranean ...
. Contemporary uses can be seen in the
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
flag and the logo of the
New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans. The Saints compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. Since 1975, the team ...
professional football team and on the flag of
Saint Louis, Missouri St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...
. The red fleur-de-lis in the
coat-of-arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achiev ...
and flag of Florence,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, descends from the white iris which is native to Florence and which grew even in its city walls. This white iris displayed against a red background was the symbol of Florence until the
Medici The House of Medici ( , ; ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first consolidated power in the Republic of Florence under Cosimo de' Medici and his grandson Lorenzo "the Magnificent" during the first half of the 15th ...
family reversed the colors to signal a change in political power, setting in motion a centuries-long and still on-going breeding program to hybridize a red iris.


Scouting, fraternities & sororities

The fleur-de-lis is the almost-universal symbol of
Scouting Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
and one of the symbols adopted by the sorority
Kappa Kappa Gamma Kappa Kappa Gamma (), also known simply as Kappa or KKG, is a collegiate Fraternities and sororities in North America, sorority founded at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois, Monmouth, Illinois, United States. It has a membership of more than ...
. The ''Iris versicolor'' is the official flower of Kappa Pi International Honorary Art Fraternity.


Other

The Iris is one of the flowers listed as
birth flower Floriography (language of flowers) is a means of Cryptography, cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers. Meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and some form of floriography has been practiced ...
for February.


Gallery

Image:Philip Hermogenes Calderon - Broken Vows - Ashmolean Museum.jpg,
Philip Hermogenes Calderon Philip Hermogenes Calderon (Poitiers 3 May 1833 – 30 April 1898 London) was a British painter of French birth (mother) and Spanish (father) ancestry, who initially worked in the Pre-Raphaelite style before moving towards historical genre ...
's ''Broken Vows'' with the iris at lower left Image:Arms of the Kings of France (France Ancien).svg, Early coat-of-arms of the
House of Capet The House of Capet () ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328. It was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians and the Karlings. The direct line of the House of Capet came to an ...
(France ancient) File:FlorenceCoA.svg, Coat-of-arms of Florence Image:Flag of the Brussels-Capital Region.svg,
Flag of the Brussels-Capital Region The flag of the Brussels, Brussels-Capital Region of Belgium consists of a stylized yellow, grey and white Iris (plant), iris on a blue background. This is the flag of the whole Brussels Region, and the City of Brussels municipality has a differe ...
File:Flag of Quebec.svg,
Flag of Quebec The flag of Quebec (), called the in Quebec French, French, represents the Canadian province of Quebec. It consists of a white cross on a blue background, with four white fleur-de-lis, fleurs-de-lis. It was the first provincial flag officially ...
File:Flag of the Fransaskois.svg, Variant on
Fransaskois Fransaskois (; cf. Québécois), Franco-Saskatchewanais () or Franco-Saskatchewanians are French Canadians or Canadian francophones living in the province of Saskatchewan. According to the 2016 Canadian Census, approximately 17,735 residents o ...
flag File:Lilie stilisiert 2.svg, Stylized Lily used in heraldry File:Giradino dell'iris 2.JPG,
Giardino dell'Iris Giardino dell'Iris is a botanical garden specializing in the cultivation of iris (plant), iris flowers, symbol of Florence since 1251. It is located on the corner of Viale dei Colli and Piazzale Michelangelo in Florence, Italy, and open daily wit ...
in
Florence Florence ( ; ) is the capital city of the Italy, Italian region of Tuscany. It is also the most populated city in Tuscany, with 362,353 inhabitants, and 989,460 in Metropolitan City of Florence, its metropolitan province as of 2025. Florence ...
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Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
File:Iris 'Mary Todd'.jpg, Bearded iris cultivar, similar to the classic/historical cultivar 'Alcazar' File:Iris 'Samurai Warrior'1.jpg, Chestnut iris cultivars like 'Samurai Warrior' are the closest that breeders have been able to attain to a red bearded iris File:Iris atropurpurea Netanya A.jpg, '' Iris atropurpurea'', a dark flowered, bearded ''Oncocyclus'' iris File:Iris unguicularis 170208.jpg, ''
Iris unguicularis ''Iris unguicularis'' ( syn. ''Iris stylosa''), the Algerian iris, is a rhizomatous flowering plant in the genus ''Iris'', native to Algeria, Greece, Turkey, Western Syria, and Tunisia. It grows to , with grassy evergreen leaves, producing pale l ...
'' File:Iris Katharine Hodginkin220303.jpg, ''Iris'' 'Katharine Hodginkin', a bulbous cultivar being a hybrid of ''I. winogradowii'' and ''I. histrioides'' 'Major' File:Irisflower.jpg, ''
Iris kemaonensis ''Iris kemaonensis'', the Kumaon iris, is a plant species in the genus '' Iris'', it is also in the subgenus '' Iris'' and in the section ''Pseudoregelia''. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from Tibetan China, Bhutan, India, Kashmir and Nepal. It ...
'' in
Himalaya The Himalayas, or Himalaya ( ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the Earth's highest peaks, including the highest, Mount Everest. More than 100 pea ...
File:Aa irises at gauntlet.jpg, ''Iris pseudacorus'' in
Cheshire Cheshire ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Merseyside to the north-west, Greater Manchester to the north-east, Derbyshire to the east, Staffordshire to the south-east, and Shrop ...
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England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
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United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
File:Iris 'Sharpshooter'.jpg, ''Iris'' 'Sharpshooter' in the
Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid (Spanish language, Spanish for "Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid") is an botanical garden in Madrid (Spain). The public entrance is located at Plaza de Murillo, next to the Museo del Prado, Prado Museum. Histo ...
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Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
File:Unidentified Iris Chanticleer Blue 3264px.jpg, ''Iris ensata'' 'Blue Beauty' File:Iris 'Queen of Angels' 01.JPG, ''Iris'' 'Queen of Angels' File:Blatant Iris May 2013.JPG, ''Iris'' 'Blatant' File:Iris germanica old form 03.jpg, ''Iris germanica'', an old and vigorous cultivar that requires minimal culture File:Mrs Andrist.jpg, ''Iris'' 'Mrs. Andris', a vigorous, historic, tall bearded iris cultivar that Fryer hybridized in 1919 File:زنبق خودرو، بهبهان.jpg, Wild Iris Spuria in
Behbahan Behbahan () is a city in the Central District of Behbahan County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Etymology The origin of word 'Behbahan' can be traced back to two distinct ideas. Accord ...
File:زنبق خودرو در بهبهان.jpg, Wild Iris Spuria in
Behbahan Behbahan () is a city in the Central District of Behbahan County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Etymology The origin of word 'Behbahan' can be traced back to two distinct ideas. Accord ...
File:Wild Iris in Mazandaran, Iran.jpg, Wild Iris in
Mazandaran Mazandaran Province (; ) is one of the 31 provinces of Iran. Its capital is the city of Sari, Iran, Sari. Located along the southern coast of the Caspian Sea and in the adjacent Central Alborz mountain range and Hyrcanian forests, it is border ...
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Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...


See also

* American Iris Society * Banshu Yamasaki Iris Garden


References


Bibliography

* Chancery of the Prime Minister, Kingdom of Belgium (2007)
Brussels Town Hall
Retrieved November 11, 2007. * * * * *


Taxonomy

* * * * * * (translation) * *


External links



Copper Iris / Louisiana Flag (''Iris cuprea'') from John James Audubon's ''Birds of America''
Flora of North America: ''Iris''Flora of China: ''Iris''Flora of Pakistan: ''Iris''Flora of Nepal: ''Iris''
by David Payne-Joyce; includes plates from Dykes (1913).
The American Iris SocietyHistoric Iris Preservation SocietyIris listings at Wild Flowers of Israel
*Gouvernement du Québe

(French) {{Authority control Iridaceae genera Rhizomatous plants Bulbous plants Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus