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Iris atrofusca
Also called Asshafa Iris, Gilead Iris, Judean Iris
Jal'ad Iris (Iris atrofusca), also called Judean or Gilead iris, is a rhizomatous perennial from the deserts of Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan, grown mainly as a rare ornamental. Its key to success is full sun, dry summers and very well-drained soil, with careful watering.
Iris atrofusca (Judean iris or Gilead iris) is a species in the genus Iris, where it is placed in the subgenus Iris and the section Oncocyclus. It is a rhizomatous perennial from the deserts of Israel, the Palestinian territories, and Jordan. The species has long falcate (sickle-shaped) or ensiform (sword-shaped) leaves, a long thick stem and large fragrant flowers that come in shades of purple brown, reddish-black, black-brown, dark brown, dark lilac or dark purple. The flowers also have a black or brownish-black signal patch and a thick beard that is brown-black, light brown or yellow tipped with brown. It is rarely cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
It is hardy in places with a dry summer and full sun. It prefers to grow in well-drained soils.
'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 also extra feeding. Watering is one of the most critical aspects of iris cultivation. The growth starts in October and should start with careful watering; water should never be poured directly on the rhizomes.
Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves). If mistakenly ingested, it can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Handling the plant may also cause skin irritation or allergic reaction.
Iris acutiloba subsp. lineolata · Iris acutiloba · Iris adriatica · Iris afghanica · Iris alberti · Iris albomarginata · Iris alexeenkoi · Single Bract Iris · Iris antilibanotica · Stool iris · Iris arenaria · Iris assadiana
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Iris atrofusca 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.
