Iris (I’ris) is a large genus of mostly hardy flowering plants most with perennial rootstocks or bulbs.
Irises grow wild in temperate countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Most Irises bloom in May and June.
The structure of Iris flowers differs from most plants. The three outer perianth segments (petals) known as falls hang down; the other three stand erect and are known as standards.
For more than 400 years the Japanese have cultivated a kind of iris almost entirely unknown to the average American gardener. Near Tokyo there is the garden Kotaka-en where these unfamiliar beauties have been grown and improved since early in the 17th century. What has kept them from American gardeners? Mostly the myth that they … Read more
It seems strange that the beautiful iris of the Pacific Coast is so little used in gardens elsewhere. They are perhaps the most misunderstood beauties of our time, for they seem reluctant in Eastern gardens. They are not rivals of the tall German iris in culture or form, although they can be colorful and striking … Read more
Late spring or early summer is the time for tall bearded iris, the most popular of the many species and hybrids of the iris family. Varied and lovely are the hundreds of named varieties. Siberian iris, too, appears this season. Close clumps of upright, slender foliage, almost concealed with an abundance of dainty bloom in … Read more
The butterfly or spuria iris are unequaled for hardiness, dependable bloom, and usefulness as cut flowers. In moist climates, their foliage may be subject to spotting like the bearded iris, but their tall sword-like leaves are attractive through the greater part of the year in most sections of the country. Butterfly Iris Species Like those … Read more
We have all heard of the pot of gold that, according to legend, lies at the end of the rainbow, and haven’t we all wished we might journey to the rainbow’s end and try our luck at finding it? The chances are that none of us ever will, but there is another gift the rainbow … Read more
I cannot recall any other genus of plants, except primula, that begins to match the iris in size and shape of flowers, range of colors, and adaptability to various garden uses. The bearded iris group is the most widely-grown, including tall, intermediate, and dwarf kinds. The less common oncocyclus and regalia groups are not well … Read more
My husband had been perfectly happy raising iris for his own pleasure for 10 years when a friend suggested that he enter the annual iris show. He didn’t take to the idea at all. He hadn’t even let me cut iris for the house unless a rain or wind storm had laid them flat, so … Read more
The modern bearded iris produces a bigger show of beauty in the St. Louis area for less effort and money than any other flower I know. While we would all like our gardens to be lavish with bloom from early spring to late fall, this dream is becoming more difficult each year in this area. … Read more
Of all flower colors that paint the garden picture, none are so clear and singing—so full, rich, sparkling—as those of the iris. This is especially true of the newcomers in the tall bearded group. However, their color range does not yet span the rainbow, and this is good. There are fewer head-on color collisions in … Read more
Iris, mainly the rhizomatous kinds, have fewer pests and diseases than any other significant group of ornamental plants. This fact, coupled with the ease with which Iris may be grown under widely varying conditions, largely accounts for their great popularity among home gardeners. Occasionally a few insects and microorganisms attack them, particularly in old or … Read more