Siberian iris

Description

Iris sibirica (commonly known as Siberian iris or Siberian flag), is a species in the genus Iris. It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from Europe (including France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine and northern Turkey) and Central Asia (including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Siberia). It has long green grass-like leaves, tall stem, 2–5 violet-blue, to blue, and occasionally white flowers. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions. Iris sibirica was often confused with Iris sanguinea, another blue flowering Asian iris, but Iris sanguinea has unbranched stems, while Iris sibirica has branched stems. It has creeping rhizome (approximately 0.9–1.2 cm (0.35–0.47 in) diameter), forming a dense clumping plant. The rhizomes are covered with the brown remnants of old leaves, from previous seasons. It has green grass-like leaves, which are ribbed and can sometimes have a pink tinge at the base of the leaf. They can grow to between 25–80 cm (10–31 in) long and 0.4–0.6 cm (0.16–0.24 in) wide, normally shorter than the flowering stems. In Autumn, the foliage turns yellow and then dies back (in winter), to re-emerge in the spring. It has a hollow, slender, 1–3 branched stem, that grows up to between 50–120 cm (20–47 in) long. The stems bear 2–5 (normally three) flowers, at the terminal ends between late spring and early summer, between May and June. Within Europe, it is found in west France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine and northern Turkey. It is found in the Caucasus regions of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Siberia (of the Russia Federation). East to Lake Baikal (in Siberia). It is listed with Iris bloudowii, Iris glaucescens, Iris humilis, Iris ruthenica, Iris tenuifolia and Iris tigridia as being found in the Altai-Sayan region (where Russia, China, Mongolia and Kazakhstan come together). It has been also naturalized in various states of North America. Including Ontario (in Canada), Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and California.