One of the wonderful garden plants is Iris. In Greek the word Iris means rainbow. Irises can be seen in nearly 200 varities. But the most popular are in blues and purples, whites and yellows, pinks and oranges, browns and reds, and even blacks.

Kingdom

Plantae

Division

Magnoliophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Asparagales

Family

Iridaceae

Genus

Iris

As all flowers have some meaning, Iris is considered as flower of faith, hope, and wisdom. The "dark blue" or "purple iris" can denote royalty. While the "yellow iris" are symbol of passion. Some of Irises express fellings of courage and admiration.

Irises are classified into two major groups: rhizome irises and bulbous 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 are Bearded, Beardless and Crested irises.

Bulbous irises grow from bulbs that require a period of dormancy after they have bloomed. The bulbous irises are typically smaller than rhizome irises and usually produce smaller blossoms.