Wednesday, January 19
Iris, who doesn’t like a pretty Iris plant? They can range in vast amount of colors such as purple, orange, yellow, red, brown and white. The Iris is best known for being used in vases and floral arrangements but many like to plant them in their yards and gardens as well.
Often times you can see a row of Iris plants growing along side of a gardener’s garden or near it because the Iris attracts the bees which will help pollinate the vegetables. The Iris is a very helpful plant to have around a garden or other plants because it keeps the bees coming around which will help keep the other plants thriving and looking great!
Did you know that there are over 200 different species of the Iris known? The Iris is a very versatile plant because it does well in deserts, swamps, cold weather and many other temperatures as well. The Bearded Iris and the Siberian Iris are the two most common types of Iris that can be found.
The Iris stems are similar to bamboo stems and hold the Iris bloom which can sit as high as 3 feet. The only problem with the Iris plant is that it does not hold up well in windy weather and the stems can be broken easily.
The Iris blooms in the late spring, generally the last 3 weeks to early summer and only lasts a short period after it blooms. The Iris has been used in history and still is some today to make wine and used in other medical herbs and cures.
The Iris is a very versatile plant because it does well growing outside as well as indoors in plant containers. The Iris needs moderate sun to partial shade and a moist soil base. The majority of Iris plants that you will see are purple but can also be found in vast amounts of other colors.
The purple Iris is also the state flower of Tennessee!