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Iris attica

Iris attica
Photo: peganum from Small Dole, England, CC BY-SA 2.0

Iris attica, the Greek iris, is a small rhizomatous perennial from the mountains of the Balkans that forms clumps of sickle-shaped grey-green leaves and short-stemmed yellow to purple flowers in spring. It needs sharp drainage and a summer dry rest after flowering.

Family
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Water moderately during the growing season, then keep dry in summer after flowering while the plant rests.
Soil
Gritty, well-drained loam or scree-like mix with good aeration.
Temperature
Hardy to about -15 to -20 °C (USDA zones 3 to 8); damp winters are the main risk, so grow in an alpine house or deep pot where wet winters are common.
How easy
Moderate
Safety
Toxic: Rhizome and leaves are poisonous; ingestion can cause stomach pain and vomiting, and handling may cause skin irritation or allergy.
Native range
North Macedonia to Greece and NW. Türkiye
Climate
temperate

About

Iris attica, the Greek iris, is a plant species in the genus Iris, it is also in the subgenus Iris. It is a rhizomatous perennial, from the mountains of the Balkans in Europe, within the countries of Greece, former Yugoslavia, Turkey and North Macedonia. It has sage green or grey-green leaves, that are sickle-shaped, a stout short stem and 2 variable flowers, in shades from yellow to purple. They have a white or blue beard. It is often called Iris pumila subsp attica, but is classified in most sources, as a separate species, although it is closely related to Iris pumila, as a possible parent plant. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

How to grow it

It is hardy to between USDA Zone 3 and Zone 8, or Zone 10.

It is hardy to Zone H2 in Europe (meaning −15 to −20 °C (5 to −4 °F).).

Safety

Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), can cause stomach pains and vomiting if mistakenly ingested. Handling the plant may cause skin irritation or an allergic reaction.

Other Iris plants

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 attica 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.

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