Scientific Name: Iris x germanica
Common Name: German iris, bearded iris
Family Name: Iridaceae
Origin: Europe, Garden origin
Hardiness Zone: Zone 3: (-40 to -34 °C)
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Mature Size: 0.7 - 1.3m x 0.3 - 0.6m (height x width)
Habit: Stiffly upright
Form: Vase
Texture: Coarse
Landscape Uses: Perennial border, Summer interest
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Basal, Leathery, Glabrous, Falcate, Linear, Entire
Flowers: Raceme, White, Yellow, Blue, Violet, Purple, Apr-May-Jun
Fruit: Capsule, Aborted (hybrids) or absent, Green, Brown, Jul-Aug
Key ID Features:
Rhizomes often partially aboove soil surface, most 5-15cm long x 1-3cm wide; leaves basal, fan-like, stiffly upright, sword-shaped, often curved, 30-90cm long x 2-4cm wide, base sheathing; flowers 10-15cm wide, petal like sepals or the "falls" are 7-12cm long x 4-6cm wide and have prominent veining on either side of a central "beard", the petals or the "standards" are 7-10cm long x 3-5cm wide.