| Scientific Name: | Iris ensata |
| Common Name: | Japanese water iris |
| Family Name: | Iridaceae |
| Origin: | S.E. Asia / Japan / China |
| Hardiness Zone: | Zone 5: (-29 to -23 °C) |
| Plant Type: | Herbaceous perennial |
| Mature Size: | 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width) |
| Habit: | Upright |
| Form: | Vase |
| Texture: | Medium |
| Landscape Uses: | Container planting, Cut flower or foliage, Perennial border, Summer interest, Waterside planting |
| Exposure: | Full sun only if soil kept moist, Part sun/part shade |
| Soil or Media: | Bog, Humus rich |
| Leaves: | Simple, Basal, Soft flexible, Parallel venation, Glabrous, Elliptic, Ovate, Entire |
| Flowers: | Raceme, Purple, Jun-Jul |
| Fruit: | Capsule, Brown, Sep-Oct |
| Key ID Features: | |
| Leaves basal (emerging in a fan-like pattern from a rhizome), linear, most 50-70cm long x 1-3cm wide; flowers with 3 large flat, spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer. | |