Lilac to
lilac-purple, varying to white with the beard
yellow. One or more flowers per stem with the
perianth divided into 6 segments. The outer 3
segments called falls are drooping, broad and
have a beard down the center. The other 3
segments are called the standards and are erect
and upright.
Late spring to
early summer
Sword shaped leaves
1.5 inches wide tapering at the top.
Susceptible to the
iris borer which eats into the rhizome at the
base of the plant. As it bores, it also spreads
a bacterial soft rot disease.
Generally do best
in a near neutral pH of around 6.5 to 7.0.
Technically, this
species, Iris germanica, is probably very
rare in its true form. Most of what is commonly
called "German Iris" are actually hybrids which
may vary considerably from the original species
type.
This is one of the
Iris species yielding the material called orris
root, used in some medicines, perfumes and tooth
powders.
