Intro: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of roadsides, old home sites and ditches; cultivated and rarely persistent or escaped. Native of Europe.

Stems: Stem a branching, tuberous, horizontal rhizome at soil surface; the stiff flowering stalk, branching once or twice above the middle, arises from the rhizome.

Leaves: Leaves mostly basal, in 2 ranks, linear-lance-shaped, to 2 ft. long, light green and smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers about 6, produced on the flowering stalk from nodes underlain by bracts; purple to pale purple; consisting of 3 ornate, brown-veined, drooping, petal-like sepals with white bases and yellow "beards," and 3 simpler, erect purple-lilac petals.

Fruits:

Comments:

Height: 2-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect, rhizomatous perennial of roadsides, old home sites and ditches; cultivated and rarely persistent or escaped. Native of Europe.

stems: Stem a branching, tuberous, horizontal rhizome at soil surface; the stiff flowering stalk, branching once or twice above the middle, arises from the rhizome.

leaves: Leaves mostly basal, in 2 ranks, linear-lance-shaped, to 2 ft. long, light green and smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers about 6, produced on the flowering stalk from nodes underlain by bracts; purple to pale purple; consisting of 3 ornate, brown-veined, drooping, petal-like sepals with white bases and yellow "beards," and 3 simpler, erect purple-lilac petals.

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: Mediterranean