Iris, A Lovely Flower

Bouquet with Japanese Irises Greeting Card


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Rhizome Irises

Rhizome irises are thickened stems that grow horizontally, either underground or partially underground. After planting, iris rhizomes produce swordlike leaves that overlap, forming flat fans of green foliage. Three popular irises in this group: Bearded, Beardless and
Crested. These plants spread freely by underground stems.

Bearded Iris have a fuzzy caterpillar like area at the top of the falls which can be in many colors such as blue, red, yellow which they use to attract bees. The bearded iris has four distinct parts: Standards, Falls, Stigma flaps, Beard. They range in height from less than 8 inches to about 38 inches. The smaller varieties flower first, followed by the medium height, and then the taller irises.

Beardless Iris have flash of colour, mostly yellow, at the top of the lower petals (falls) This is called a signal which attract bees. The beardless variety has : Standards, Falls and Stigma flaps, but usually have crests.

Crested Iris or Evansia Iris: have a small raised area called a crest instead of a signal or a beard. They are made up of Standards, Falls and Stigma flaps and in addition to a ridge on the falls of the blossom, they have ridges like crests instead of beard

Bulb Irises

Bulb irises can be planted in either fall or spring. All bulb irises are beardless and will bloom from late winter through mid-summer

Iris bulbs are split into three groups. There is:

Reticulata Group: This group of bulb irises have netted tunics (a covering that looks like a net). This group will grow leaves first, bloom and then the leaves will continue to grow once the flowers have died back.

Juno Group: This group of bulb iris will produce flat leaves and large brightly colored flowers. This group has roots as well as a bulb.

Xiphium Group: This group has thinner leaves. Species native to Holland , Spain and England are in this group.

Cream and Magenta Iris Tote Bag

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In Ancient Greek times the Greek Goddess Iris was the messenger of the gods and the personification of the rainbow. She acted as the link between heaven and earth and guided women on their journey to the Elysian Fields. Purple irises were planted over the graves of women to summon the Goddess to guide the dead in their journey.

During the Middle Ages, the meaning of irises became linked to the French monarchy, and the Fleur-de-lis eventually became the recognized national symbol of France. Joan of Arch carried a white banner that illustrated the flower when she led French troops to victory over the English. The iris was so powerful a symbol of the French kings that during the French Revolution in 1789, revolutionaries set out to totally destroy this symbol of the hated monarchy. It was chipped off buildings and torn from draperies. Men were guillotined for wearing a fleur-de-lis on their clothes or as jewelry.

During the Renaissance, when there was very little cleanliness in England, orris root (the root of some species of iris) was used as a perfume for linen and was lifted to the nose to combat the oror. Orris root was steeped in wash water to give clothing a pleasant smell and was added to the wigs worn by French and English aristocracy.

Today, the iris is the state flower of Tennessee, and the Fleur-de-lis is the emblem for the city of New Orleans.

Lavender Irises Apron

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• American Iris Society


• The American Iris Society Foundation


• Aril Society International.


• Canadian Iris Society


• Dwarf Iris Society of America


• Georgia Iris Society


• The Historic Iris Preservation Society


• Iris Society


• King County Iris Society


• Local Iris Society


• Society for Louisiana Irises.


• Society for Japanese Irises.


• Median Iris Society.


• Society for Pacific Coast Native Irises.


• Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA).


• Mississipi Native Plant Society


• Reblooming Iris Society.


• San Diego Iris Society


• The Society for Siberian Irises.


• Species Iris of North America


• Spuria Iris Society.


• Sun Country Iris Society


• Tall Bearded Iris Society


• Tucson Area Iris Society

One Purple Iris Tie

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A Wild Iris.

By Madison Julius Cawein

That day we wandered 'mid the hills,-so lone
Clouds are not lonelier,-the forest lay
In emerald darkness 'round us. Many a stone
And gnarly root, gray-mossed, made wild our way:
And many a bird the glimmering light along
Showered the golden bubbles of its song.
Then in the valley, where the brook went by,
Silvering the ledges that it rippled from,-
An isolated slip of fallen sky,
Epitomizing heaven in its sum,-
An iris bloomed-blue, as if, flower-disguised,
The gaze of Spring had there materialized.
I have forgotten many things since then-
Much beauty and much happiness and grief;
And toiled and dreamed among my fellow-men,
Rejoicing in the knowledge life is brief.
"'T is winter now," so says each barren bough;
And face and hair proclaim 't is winter now.
I would forget the gladness of that spring!
I would forget that day when she and I,
Between the bird-song and the blossoming,
Went hand in hand beneath the soft spring sky!-
Much is forgotten, yea- and yet, and yet,
The things we would we never can forget.-
Nor I how May then minted treasuries
Of crowfoot gold; and molded out of light
The sorrel's cups, whose elfin chalices
Of limpid spar were streaked with rosy white.
Nor all the stars of twinkling spiderwort,
And mandrake moons with which her brows were girt.
But most of all, yea, it were well for me,
Me and my heart, that I forget that flower,
The wild blue iris, azure fleur-de-lis,
That she and I together found that hour.
Its recollection can but emphasize
The pain of loss, remindful of her eyes.

Pale Pink and Lavender Iris Mug


You can personalize this mug with the person's name for a unique gift!

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TO AN IRIS
Carman, Bliss, (1861-1929)

Thou art a golden iris
Under a purple wall,
Whereon the burning sunlight
And greening shadows fall.

What Summer night's enchantment
Took up the garden mould,
And with the falling star-dust
Refined it to such gold?

What wonder of white magic
Bidding thy soul aspire,
Filled that luxurious body
With languor and with fire?

Wert thou not once a beauty
In Persia or Japan,
For whom, by toiling seaway
Or dusty caravan,

Of old some lordly lover
Brought countless treasure home
Of gems and silk and attar,
To pleasure thee therefrom?

Pale amber from the Baltic,
Soft rugs of Indian ply,
Stuffs from the looms of Bagdad
Stained by the Tyrian dye.

Were thy hands bright with henna,
Thy lashes black with kohl,
Thy voice like silver water
Out of an earthen bowl?

Or was thy only tent-cloth
The blue Astartean night,
Thy soul to beauty given,
Thy body to delight?

Wert thou not well desired,
And was not life a boon,
When Tanis held in Sidon
Her Mysteries of the Moon?

There in her groves of ilex
The nightingales made ring
With the mad lyric chorus
Of youth and love and Spring,

Wert thou not glad to worship
With some blond Paphian boy,
Illumined by new knowledge
And intimate with joy?

And did not the Allmother
Smile in the hushed dim light,
Hearing thy stifled laughter
Disturb her holy rite?

Ah, well thou must have served her
In wise and gracious ways,
With more than vestal fervous,
A loved one all thy days!

And dost thou, then, revisit
Our borders at her will,
Child of the sultry rapture,
Waif of the Orient still?

Because thy love was fearless
And fond and strong and free,
Art thou not her last witness
To our apostasy?

Just at the height of summer,
The joy-days of the year,
She bids, for our reproval,
Thy radiance appear.

Oh, Iris, let thy spirit
Enkindle our gross clay,
Bring back the lost earth-passion
For beauty to our day!

To-night, when down the marshes
The lilac half-lights fade,
And on the rosy shore-line
No earthly spell is laid,

I would be thy new lover,
With the dark life renewed
By our great mother Tanis
And thy solicitude.

Feel slowly change this vesture
Or mortal flesh and bone,
Transformed by her soft witch-work
To one more like thine own.

Become but as the rain-wind
(Who am but dust indeed),
To slake thy velvet ardour
And soothe thy darling need.

To dream and waken with thee
Under the night's blue sail,
As the wild odours freshen,
Till the white stars grow pale.

Purple Iris Stripes Hat

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Three Purple and White Irises Button


Use a button to check if your customer paid admission.

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Yellow Irises Flavescens T-Shirt


You can add your family's name and the date of the reunion. Makes a great souvenir!

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Irises by the Lake Mousepad>


People use their mouse pads every day and they will see your message.

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Golden Irises Keychain

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