Bearded Iris 4-26-23

Our first bearded iris has bloomed. It is in the family Iridaceae. This one was a gift from a friend decades ago. Iris is Greek for rainbow.

The inflorescence are in the shape of a fan and contain multiple six-lobed flowers. In each flower three sepals spread downwards and are called “falls”. They expand from a narrow base (‘claw' or ‘haft') into a broader ‘blade and has ornamental veining. Three smaller petals stand upright behind the sepal bases. In the center of the ‘blade’ at the base of each petal is a row of fuzzy hairs called a beard. Insects use the beard to help them find the pollen.

Irises― from which that rainbow rises Kobayashi Issa 1803