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Long-scape iris

Iris delavayi

Long-scape iris
Photo: peganum from Henfield, England, CC BY-SA 2.0

Iris delavayi is a clump-forming rhizomatous perennial iris from China, grown as an ornamental in temperate gardens for its blue flowers in early summer. Its key needs are moist but not waterlogged soil and good sun or light shade.

Family
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Water
Keep soil evenly moist during growth but never waterlogged; water in dry spells.
Soil
Good garden soil, slightly acidic to neutral (pH 5.5 to 7), enriched with well-rotted organic matter; avoid free-draining sandy soil.
Temperature
Hardy to about -15 °C; protect or mulch below that; dislikes very hot conditions.
How easy
Easy
Safety
Toxic: Rhizomes and leaves are poisonous; ingestion can cause stomach pain and vomiting, and handling may cause skin irritation or allergy.
Native range
Tibet to SC. China
Climate
temperate

About

Iris delavayi is a species of flowering plant in the subgenus Limniris and in the series Sibiricae of the family Iridaceae. This rhizomatous herbaceous perennial comes from various provinces in China. It has grey-green leaves, long hollow stem, and 2 flowers in various blue shades. From dark violet, dark purple, purple-blue, dark blue to light purple. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

How to grow it

It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.

The Sino-siberian irises all generally have similar cultivation requirements with minor alterations.

Safety

Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting. Also handling the plant may cause a 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 delavayi 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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