Plant Profile: Iris brevicaulis

This low-growing iris belongs to a family of perennial herbs. Its strap-like leaves emerge from rhizomes, forming a flat layer that can obscure the flowers. One to several blooms appear atop a slender, zigzagging stem that can reach up to 5 inches in height, which is how it earned the nickname Zigzag Iris. The striking flowers consist of six parts: three outer "falls" that either spread out or droop, and three inner "standards" that stand upright. They typically display hues ranging from bluish-purple to white, featuring a yellow and white crest on the reflexed falls. While they bloom in June, flowering does not occur every year. The plant produces a capsule as its fruit and propagates through the division of its bulb or rhizome. This iris thrives in marshy environments, favoring damp grasslands or stream banks with rich, acidic soil, although it can also adapt to average, well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade.

While it is occasionally found in the Central United States, it is not indigenous to the Southeastern coastal regions.

For further details on Iris, please refer to additional resources.