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Iris pumila
Also called Pygmy Iris
Iris pumila is a small rhizomatous iris from eastern Europe and Eurasian steppe, growing 10 to 20 cm tall with single flowers in yellow, purple, violet, blue or white. It is grown as a rock garden and border plant and needs good drainage and full sun.
Iris pumila, sometimes known as pygmy iris or dwarf iris, probably originated as a natural hybrid between Iris pseudopumila Boissier & Heldreich and I. attica Tineo. It ranges from Austria through eastern Europe and the Balkans, in Eurasian steppe in Ukraine, southern Russia into southern Siberia and northern Kazakhstan, and the Caucasus into Turkey.
Iris pumila is distinguished by single blooms held 10–20 cm above ground level on a lengthened perianth tube, with the ovary almost resting on the rhizome on a very short stem. The flower is protected by two spathes, both of which are round in cross-section. Flower color is variable: yellow and purple or violet are the most common, but blue, cream, white, and blended colors are also frequently found. Most forms have a darker spot on the falls.
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 pumila 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.
