Iris germanica
German Bearded Iris
3-10
Central and Southern Europe

Care and Culture of Iris - Iris for the Home Landscape

 
24-36 inches
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.

 

 
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