🌸 Flower
ANX-FLOWER-0000021
Bearded Iris
Iris germanica
Bearded Iris (Iris germanica), a rhizomatous perennial of the Iridaceae family, is a natural hybrid whose fuzzy-bearded falls have made it the presumed parent of most modern tall bearded iris cultivars.
Log in to request a quotation- Family
- Iridaceae
- Plant type
- Rhizomatous perennial
- Bloom color
- Purple falls with yellow beards and lilac standards; modern cultivars span nearly every color
- Bloom season
- Late spring (May), with some cultivars reblooming in autumn
- Mature height
- 60-90 cm cm
- Sun requirements
- Full sun
- Fragrance
- Usually fragrant blooms
- Native region
- Eastern Mediterranean
Growing
Growing Conditions
- Water requirements
- Medium water needs; avoid overhead watering and wet soil around the rhizome.
- Climate requirements
- Thrives in temperate climates with a cold winter dormancy; native to Mediterranean-type conditions.
- Soil types
- Humusy, medium-moisture, well-drained soil; heavy clay needs amendment with sand or organic matter.
- Propagation method
- Rhizome division, seed
Ecology
Pollinators & Toxicity
- Pollinator value
- The fuzzy beard on each fall acts as a landing platform and nectar guide, directing bees to the flower's nectaries.
- Toxicity
- Toxic to dogs, cats, and horses (pentacyclic terpenoids concentrated in the rhizome), causing salivation, vomiting, and lethargy if ingested.
Use
Uses & Economic Importance
- Uses
- Sunny beds and borders, naturalizing, cut flowers
- Economic importance
- A major breeding parent behind most modern tall bearded iris cultivars; its rhizomes are also the traditional source of orris root for perfumery.
Trade
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