This cultivar of I. reticulata, a reticulated iris, is one of many perennial herbs grown from a bulb. The leaves are strap-like and overlapping at the base in a fan shape. The small (2 to 3 inches), fragrant flowers are a vibrant royal blue with the 3 outer, pendent "falls" and 3 inner, erect "standards" of other iris, but are marked with striping of white and yellow on the falls. This grows best in full sunlight to afternoon only or morning only sunlight. The fruit is a capsule, but as most irises, this reproduces better by division. The reticulate patterned bulbs divide into bulblets (offshoots) after blooms have faded and may be separated and replanted. When planting, bury bulbs to a depth of 5 in. to the base and space 1 in. apart with 40-80 per sq. ft. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Edibles, Bulbs, and Houseplants," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Iris reticulata .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 5 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 4 in.
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Sheath; Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite; Rosulate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Strap-like, overlapping at base, oriented in one plane
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Fragrant; Good Cut; Showy
Flower detail
Blue-colored cultivar; 1-several flowers at the top of a naked stem, 6-parted with 3 outer, spreading or pendent "falls" and 3 inner, erect "standards"; blooms in early spring (March)
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Capsule
Stem color
Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Naturalized Area; Small Space; Walkways; Woodland
Landscape theme
Rock Garden
Design feature
Border; Mass Planting
Garden tags
#drought tolerant #poisonous #blue flowers #rock garden #mass planting #deer resistant #border front #small spaces #naturalized area #problem for dogs #problem for cats #problem for horses #container plant #showy flowers #low maintenance #contact dermatitis #disease resistant #spring flowers #purple flowers #insect resistant #woodland #walkway
Problems & Resistance
Insect problems
Slugs and Snails Found on Flowers and Foliage
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Resistant to
Black Walnut; Deer; Diseases; Drought; Insect Pests
Propagation
Division
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Roots; Sap/Juice; Seeds
Poison symptoms
Causes only low toxicity if eaten. Skin irritation is minor, or lasting only for a few minutes. Nausea, salivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, diarrhea, elevated temperature following ingestion; skin irritation upon contact with seeds, rootstock, or cell sap.
Toxic principle
Pentacylic terpenoids (zeorin, missourin and missouriensin), Irisin, iridin, or irisine