Species

Native Location (s)

Bloom Height

Growing Characteristics

Flower Color

I. bulleyana

SW China

14-18”

Likes acid soil and acid water; moist soil and plenty of humus are needed

Standards Blue to Violet;  Falls mottled and striped blue-violet over white

I. chrysographes

China & Burma

12-30”

Two flowers per stem

Red-violet to Black with or without signal of gold lines

I. clarkei

Himalayan countries

24”

Solid stems, often with multiple branches; erect foliage

Blue-violet with obvious signal—like a butterfly

I. delavayi

SW China

24-47”

Wide foliage; late bloomer

Light to dark Blue-violet. White signal

I. dykesii

Found in Dykes’ garden after his death

36”

Deep Violet. White signal. Yellow veins

I. forestii

China into N. Burma

14-30”  (Dwarf 6”)

Foliage shiny on top; bluish-green underneath

Yellow. Signal of dark lines and spots. Fragrant.

I. laevigata

Eastern Asia & Japan

30-36”

Hybridized with I. versicolor.  Likes wet conditions, acid soil and direct sunlight.

Blue, Purple, White

I. pseudocorus

Europe across to the Middle East , down to North Africa

30-63”

Largest plant Flourishes in wet conditions

Yellow, Cream, White

I. versicolor

Eastern US

8-31”

Cross between I. virginica & I. setosa.  108 chromosomes. In the wild grow in wet conditions but adapts to dry locations.  Hybridized with I. virginica and Japanese iris

Blue, Violet, Pink, White

I. setosa  

Eastern Asia Japan

Alaska

Eastern Canada

(depends on subspecies)

6-40”

Full sun and moist, rich soil

Hybridized with other species and Siberian iris

Blue, Purple, White

I. wilsonii

China

24-30”

Glaucous foliage i.e. bluish-green appearance

Yellow with brown-veined signal; Fragrant