Plant Profile: Iris cristata 'Alba'

Names

White Crested Dwarf Iris

  • Photo of Iris cristata 'Alba' (Iris cristata 'Alba's)

Phonetic Spelling:EYE-ris kris-TAY-tuh AL-ba

Genus:Iris

Species:cristata

Family:Iridaceae

This variety of Iris cristata is a compact, low-growing plant that reaches heights of just 3 to 6 inches and is native to the region. It spreads rapidly and features small white flowers adorned with yellow-crested falls, providing a vibrant contrast in dark, shaded areas. When planted in rich, well-drained soil, it can form a lush carpet of color in early spring and serve as an effective ground cover throughout the summer months. This cultivar is adaptable, thriving in marshy conditions and even shallow water, and prefers partial to full shade. Propagation can be achieved by sowing seeds or by dividing rhizomes in the fall. Its slender, yellowish-green leaves are shorter than those of typical Iris varieties but maintain a distinctive knife-edge shape.

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

Iris cristata 'Alba' Feature Summary

Iris cristata 'Alba' Image Gallery

Tags

#hummingbirds
#poisonous
#perennial
#white flowers
#showy
#dwarf
#wet sites
#cpp
#deer resistant
#native garden
#groundcover
#naturalizes
#irisin
#spring interest
#pollinator plant
#wildflower garden
#spring flowering bulbs
#partial shade tolerant
#problem for cats
#problem for dogs
#problem for horses
#woodlands

Similar Plants

Iris cristata 'Alba' Feature Summary

Attributes
Naturalizing, woodlands, rock gardens, native gardens,
Attractive to bees and hummingbirds
Perennial
Bulb
Wildlife Food Source
low flammability
Flowers
Small white flowers of inner erect "standards" and 3 reflexed pendent "falls" marked with yellow crests
6 petals/rays
Irregular
1-3 inches
Poisonous to Humans
CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. Nausea, salivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, diarrhea, elevated temperature following ingestion; skin irritation upon contact with seeds, rootstock, or cell sap.
Pentacylic terpenoids (zeorin, missourin and missouriensin), Irisin, iridin, or irisine
Seeds
Sap/Juice
Roots
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Poisonous
Wildflower
Bulb
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Occasionally Wet
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
9a
9b
High Organic Matter
Landscape
Mass Planting
Patio
Walkways
Naturalized Area
Bees
Hummingbirds
Problem for Cats
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses

Iris cristata 'Alba' Attributes

Iris cristata 'Alba': Uses (Ethnobotany)

Naturalizing, woodlands, rock gardens, native gardens,

Iris cristata 'Alba': Wildlife Value

Attractive to bees and hummingbirds

Iris cristata 'Alba': Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

Deer

Iris cristata 'Alba': Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Iris cristata 'Alba': Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Iris cristata 'Alba': Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Iris cristata 'Alba': Fire Risk Rating

extreme flammability
high flammability
low flammability
medium flammability

Iris cristata 'Alba' Flowers

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Description

Small white flowers of inner erect "standards" and 3 reflexed pendent "falls" marked with yellow crests

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Color

filter_vintage
White

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Petals

2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Iris cristata 'Alba': Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Iris cristata 'Alba' Leaves

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Description

Sword-like

Iris cristata 'Alba': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Color

spa
Green

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Iris cristata 'Alba': Hairs Present

No
Yes

Iris cristata 'Alba': Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Iris cristata 'Alba' Poisonous to Humans

Iris cristata 'Alba': Poison Symptoms

CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. Nausea, salivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, diarrhea, elevated temperature following ingestion; skin irritation upon contact with seeds, rootstock, or cell sap.

Iris cristata 'Alba': Poison Toxic Principle

Pentacylic terpenoids (zeorin, missourin and missouriensin), Irisin, iridin, or irisine

Iris cristata 'Alba': Poison Severity

High
Low
Medium

Iris cristata 'Alba': Causes Contact Dermatitis

No
Yes

Iris cristata 'Alba': Poison Part

Bark
Flowers
Fruits
Leaves
Roots
Sap/Juice
Seeds
Stems

Iris cristata 'Alba' Whole Plant Traits

Iris cristata 'Alba': Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Iris cristata 'Alba': Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Iris cristata 'Alba': Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Iris cristata 'Alba': Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Iris cristata 'Alba': Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Iris cristata 'Alba': Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Iris cristata 'Alba' Cultural Conditions

Iris cristata 'Alba': Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Iris cristata 'Alba': Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Iris cristata 'Alba': Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Iris cristata 'Alba': Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Iris cristata 'Alba': NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Iris cristata 'Alba': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
3a
thermostat
3b
thermostat
4a
thermostat
4b
thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Iris cristata 'Alba': Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Iris cristata 'Alba' Stem

Iris cristata 'Alba': Stem Color

grass
Green

Iris cristata 'Alba': Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Iris cristata 'Alba' Landscape

Iris cristata 'Alba': Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Iris cristata 'Alba': Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Iris cristata 'Alba': Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Iris cristata 'Alba': Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Iris cristata 'Alba': Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy