Iris cristata W. Aiton. clade: Lophiris. Common name: Dwarf Crested Iris. Phenology: late Mar-May; May-Jul. Habitat: Moist forests, rich woods, roadbanks, streambanks. Distribution: MD west to IN and MO, south to NC, AL, MS, AR, and e. OK.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = C, F, FNA26, G, Il, K4, Mo1, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S13, Tn, Va, W, WV; = Lophiris cristata (Aiton) M.B.Crespo, Mart.-Azorín, & Mavrodiev — Crespo, Martínez-Azorín, & Mavrodiev (2015); = Neubeckia cristata (Aiton) Alef. — S. Basionym: Iris cristata Aiton 1789
Links to other floras: = Iris cristata - FNA26
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Heliophily ⓘ: 3
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© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Low-growing, rhizomatous and colonial perennial of moist (and less often, dry) forests, rich woods, road banks and stream banks.
Stems: Stems consist of branching, horizontal rhizomes at soil surface; a short flowering stalk, with leaves clustered at the base, arises from rhizome.
Leaves: Leaves overlapping and clustered at base of flowering stalk, linear to lance-shaped, to 6 in. long and 1 in. wide, arching, smooth.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers typically solitary (occasionally 2) at top of stalk; pale blue to purplish; to 5 in. wide; consisting of 3 spreading, ornate, petal-like sepals and 3 smaller, spreading petals; sepals are marked with a white or yellow patch outlined in purple and a toothed, yellow ridge.
Fruits:
Comments:
Height: 4-6 in.
plant sale text: Ethereal flowers open over a two-week period. Dwarf crested iris is an attractive groundcover spring through fall. In the wild, this perennial is seen on wooded slopes, bluffs and ravines. Its native range includes areas from Maryland south to Georgia. Dwarf crested iris is an excellent choice for the rock garden, the foreground of a perennial border, or the woodland garden. This species is drought-tolerant once it has become established. It prefers slopes with partial sun. The Iris genus supports up to 12 lepidoptera species.
bloom table text:
description: Low-growing, rhizomatous and colonial perennial of moist (and less often, dry) forests, rich woods, road banks and stream banks.
stems: Stems consist of branching, horizontal rhizomes at soil surface; a short flowering stalk, with leaves clustered at the base, arises from rhizome.
leaves: Leaves overlapping and clustered at base of flowering stalk, linear to lance-shaped, to 6 in. long and 1 in. wide, arching, smooth.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers typically solitary (occasionally 2) at top of stalk; pale blue to purplish; to 5 in. wide; consisting of 3 spreading, ornate, petal-like sepals and 3 smaller, spreading petals; sepals are marked with a white or yellow patch outlined in purple and a toothed, yellow ridge.
fruits:
comments:
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
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