Iris Plants

Iris Species Bearded Iris Bicolor Iris Blue-eyed Grass Crocus Gladiolus Grass Widow Montbretia Native Iris Spraxis Wild Iris Flower Power

Most people familiar with the botanical world rank the iris family second only to the orchid family in terms of its diversity of showy flowering plants.

While the numbers change from source to source, the Flora of North America lists 65 genera and 1810 species world wide. Most grow in temperate areas with Southern Africa home to a large and diverse group.

North America has 16 genera with 92 species, with over one half of the genera naturalized non-native plants. The native irises (genus iris) are probably the most easily recognized, however other species such Blue-eyed grass are native irises that grow throughout the United States. Bartram's Ixia, would be an example of a rare native iris, found only in Florida.

When gardeners think iris, they think spring and fall flowering plants such as the colorful Bearded Iris, Crocus and Gladiolus. They're not only popular garden flowers but also popular cut flowers and important economic ornamentals.

The ten flowers in the box on the right fit into eight genera, Crocosmia (Montbretia), Crocus, Dietes (Bicolor Iris and Wild Iris), Gladiolus, Iris (Bearded Iris and Native Iris), Olsynium, Sisyrinchium and Sparaxis. Any and all are great garden picks.

Considering the fact that along with the native species, many non-native species such as the Montbretia and Spraxis grow in the wild without any care, the characterization of irises as easy to go seems to fit. Depending on genera, they grow from bulbs, rhizomes or corms. Once established in a garden, they grow from year to year with basic fertilizing in the spring and cutting back the tops in the fall.

© 2009 Patricia A. Michaels