Iris

Irises are wonderful garden plants. As the word Iris means rainbow, irises come in so many colors: blues and purples, whites and yellows, pinks and oranges, browns and reds, and even blacks. The genus Iris has about 200 species and is native of North Temperate regions of the world

Types of Irises

Irises are classified into two major groups: rhizome irises and bulbous irises. Within those groups are countless species, varieties, cultivars and hybrids, according to the American Iris Society.

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.

The bearded iris has four distinct parts: Standards, Falls, Stigma flaps, Beard
The beardless variety has : Standards, Falls and Stigma flaps, but usually have crests
The crested Irises or Evansia Iris: Standards, Falls and Stigma flaps and in addition to a ridge on the falls of the blossom, they have ridges like crests instead of beards

Crested iris are often considered in the same manner as the beardless iris. These plants spread freely by underground stems and produce flat flowers in the shades of blue, violet and white. Often the flowers and leaves are found on bamboo like stems which can vary in height from 5-200 centimeters in height.