Copy permalink to share

Iris cristata 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, K1, K3, 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

Links to other floras: = Iris cristata - FNA26

Show in key(s)

Show parent genus

Heliophily : 3

Your browser does not support SVGs

Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.

image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷

Feedback

See something wrong or missing on about Iris cristata? Let us know here: (Please include your name and email if at all complicated so we can clarify if needed.) We greatly appreciate feedback, and will include updates from you in our next webapp update, which can take a few months.


Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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

« show previous | back to original search ↑