Feature Flower for February - Iris

What do you think of when you see an Iris? Irises always take me back to my childhood. There were seas of yellow that seemed to go on forever, all the way around the house. The best part was that mom always let me cut some to bring inside.

Did you know that Iris takes its name from the Greek word for rainbow, referring to the wide variety of colors found among the many species. Irises can be found in blue, purple, white, yellow, pink, orange, brown, red and even black. There are some 300 species in the genus Iris.

Common Name: Iris
Botanical Name: Iridaceae

Irises are perennial plants. They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The distinctive flowers have three large outer petals called "falls" and three inner upright petals called "standards." The falls may have beards or crests. Bearded iris are so-called because they have soft hairs along the center of the falls. In crested iris, the hairs form a comb or ridge.

Most irises flower in early summer but most florist can have them imported year round. They are hardy, reliable, and easy to grow. Irises also attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make lovely cut flowers. What a great source on interest in a design.

Interesting Facts:

• Iris leaves or leaf-sap were used as a dye, to give the blue color to tattoos. 
• The iris is the French royal standard Fleur-de-lis and also the symbol of Florence, Italy.
• Oral root, taken from the dried roots of Iris 'Florentia', was considered a cure for blood and lung diseases, and teething babies were encouraged to gnaw on a "finger" of dried root for its natural fluoride.

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