Iris assadiana is a small rhizomatous perennial iris from the deserts of Syria, with scented maroon to near-black flowers in April. It is grown mainly by specialist collectors in temperate regions, and success depends on keeping the rhizomes dry in winter and watered carefully in the growing season.
Family
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun
Water
Water carefully from autumn growth start, never pour water directly on the rhizomes, and keep the soil dry in winter.
Soil
Very well-drained, gritty or sandy mix with added grit or stone.
Temperature
Suits a dry, subtropical climate; protect from excess winter wet and cold, in an unheated frame or under glass.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic: Rhizome and leaves are poisonous; ingestion causes stomach pain and vomiting, and handling can cause skin irritation or allergic reaction.
Native range
Syria
Climate
subtropical
About
Iris assadiana is a species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the deserts of Syria. It has small rhizomes, grey-green strongly curved leaves, slender stems, scented flowers in April, in shades of maroon, purple, deep purple or black. They have dark veining and it also has yellow/white beard tipped with purple. It is rarely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
How to grow it
'Oncocyclus Section' Irises are easier to grow than 'Regelia Section' Irises, but should be preferably grown under glass (in frames), to protect the irises from excess moisture (especially during winter times) and also to ensure the (shallow planted) rhizomes get the best temperatures during the growing season.
They can be grown in pots (especially in deep ones known as 'long toms'), but they need re-potting, every 2 years and extra feeding.
Safety
Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), and if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Also, handling the plant may cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Iris assadiana by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.