Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Iris graminea L.

Rhizomatous Iris with usually 4 long, slender leaves, longer than the flowers, and a terminal inflorescence of 1-2 flowers, lilac-purple, the falls flushed white, veined with purple.  [RHSD, Hortus].

Horticultural & Botanical History

‘The flowers expand in June and have a scent something like that of fresh plums.  A native of Austria, perfectly hardy, and will grow in any situation.  Our drawing was taken at the Nursery of Meffrs. Whitley and Co. Brompton.  Cultivated here by Gerarde, in 1597.’  [BM t.681/1803].

History at Camden Park

Iris graminea is marked with a ‘c’ in an 1836 edition of Loddiges’ catalogue held at Camden Park [CPA].  In William Macarthur’s code, used and explained elsewhere, this means grown at Camden.  It is almost certain that it was grown in the gardens around this time but may have been short lived as it did not appear in the catalogues.

Notes

Iris graminea Thunb. (1784) = Iris ensata Thunb. which see.

Iris graminea Georgi (before 1802) = Iris ruthenica Ker-Gawl.

Iris graminea Heuff. ex Nyman (1882) = Iris pseudocyperus Schur.

Iris graminea Griseb. (1843) = Iris sintenisii Jarka

Published Nov 19, 2009 - 02:30 PM | Last updated Jul 23, 2010 - 05:15 PM

Figured is a non-bearded iris with purple standards and blue, yellow-streaked falls.  Curtis's Botanical Magazine t.681, 1803.

Iris graminea L. | BM t.681/1803 | BHL

Family Iridaceae
Category
Region of origin

Central and Southern Europe

Synonyms
Common Name
Name in the Camden Park Record

Iris graminea 

Confidence level high