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.
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
Tucked away in forgotten corners of many gardens are plants of the butterfly iris. Given scant attention and care, these plants faithfully reward their owners with a short but glorious bloom period every spring. For some decades, the butterfly iris, or spuria, has been a neglected member of the iris family. But this will no … Read more
One of the outstanding features of the iris family is its long season of bloom. In the early spring, while the weather is still cool, the violet-blue flowers of Iris atroviolacea open close to the ground. This is a charming form that has been in cultivation for over 100 years. Ten days later, the many … Read more
Modern bearded iris is probably the most spectacular and desirable of all late-blooming spring perennials in eastern Massachusetts. The flowers are large, of beautiful form, and in magnificent colors ranging from black purple through the spectrum to pure white, including the newest color break approaching true pink. These are a far cry from the rather … Read more
Growing in my garden for several years, an iris of good quality produced purple flowers with yellow-bearded falls. During the past season, most of the flower stalks of the plant also made flowers true to type. However, one of the rhizome branches had white flowers, tinged slightly with purple, and another one had flowers, each … Read more
Our section of Idaho is irrigated country, and to us who garden here, it presents its particular problems. I am an iris enthusiast. These flowers are one of the most beautiful and satisfactory of all perennials. No matter where the iris is planted, they must be set high enough so no water will ever stand … Read more
Babiana (ba-bee-AN-uh) is a bulbous perennial belonging to the genus Babiana and from the iris family, Iridaceae. The genus name Babiana is derived from the Dutch word “baviaan” and the Latin name “babiaan’s,” which means baboon. It also refers to the old-world primates or monkeys (African monkey) that would dig and eat the Babiana’s corms, … Read more
When dwarf iris enthusiast discusses their favorite subject, they usually have the dwarf beardless or native types in mind, and they usually qualify their enthusiasm by some such phrase as “Once you have found a way of growing them…” But why do they neglect the dwarf bearded types, which need no qualifying reservations whatsoever? I … Read more