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IRISES - IRIS SP.

Irises are native to the Northern Hemisphere with the majority of the known species originating in Europe or Asia. This is especially true of the varieties and cultivars commonly distributed in the nursery trade. The majority of irises are both cold and drought tolerant. However, there are a number of species that occur in marshes and meadows or originate from lower elevations and are not cold hardy. The following is a list of cold and drought tolerant irises that should do well in the Big Bear Valley.

Bearded Irises

Larger species

I. florentina Flowers: white with blue tint.

I. germanica Flowers: purple, Height: to 4 feet.

I. kochii Flowers: purple, Height: 2-3 feet.

I. pallida Flowers: blue, sweet scent, Height: 2-3 feet, Origin: European Alps.

I. plicata Flowers: white, lilac lines, Height: 2-3 feet.

Smaller species

I. aphylla Flowers: purple, dark blue, Height: 1 foot, Origin: Eurasia.

I. lutescens Flowers: yellow, purple, violet, Height: 4-10 inches, Origin: E Europe.

I. pumila Flowers: yellow to purple, Origin: Eurasia.

I. reichenbachii Flowers: yellow to purple, Height: 1 foot, Origin: SE Europe.

Siberian Irises

I. sibirica Flowers: white, blue-violet, Height: 2 feet, Origin: Europe, N Asia.

I. typhifolia Flowers: deep purple, Height: 2 feet, Origin: NE China.

I. chrysographes Flowers: deep purple, golden markings, Height: 20 inches, Origin: China, Burma.

I. clarkei Flowers: purple, Height: 2 feet, Origin: Himalayas.

I. wilsonii Flowers: yellow, Height: 16 inches, Origin: China.

Pacific Coast Irises

I. bracteata Flowers: pale yellow, brown veins, Height: 1 foot, Origin: CA, OR

I. hartwegii Flowers: lilac, pale yellow, Height: 8 inches, Origin: CA, San Bernardino Mountains

I. missouriensis Flowers: blue, Height: 2 feet, Origin: W North America, San Bernardino Mountains.

I. tenuissima Flowers: cream-colored, brown veins, Height: 1 foot, Origin: N CA.

Spuria Irises

I. orientalis Flowers: white, Height: 3 feet, Origin: Middle East

I. pontica Flowers: purple, Height: 4 inches, Origin: E Europe, C Asia.

I. sintenisii Flowers: purple, Height: 1 foot, Origin: SE Europe, W Asia.

Stinking Iris

I. foetidissima Flowers: yellow, Height: 18 inches, Origin: S Europe.

Dwarf Bulbous Irises

I. danfordiae Flowers: yellow, Height: 18 inches, Origin: Turkey.

I. histrioides Flowers: blue, Origin: Turkey.

I. reticulata Flowers: purple, red, blue, white, Origin: Caucasus Region.

I. winogradowii Flowers: yellow, Origin Caucasus Region.

Juno Irises

I. albo-marginata Flowers: pale blue, yellow, Height: 1 foot, Origin: C Asia.

I. aucheri Flowers: blue, fragrant, Origin: Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria.

I. caucasica Flowers: yellow, green, short, Origin: Iran, Turkey.

I. cycloglossa Flowers: blue, fragrant, Height: 24 inches, Origin: NW Afghanistan.

I. graeberiana Flowers: blue, Origin: C Asia.

I. magnifica Flowers: lilac, yellow, Origin: Afghanistan, Tajikistan.

Himalayan Irises

I. cristata Flowers: lavender, blue, Origin: E North America.

I. milesii Flowers: purple, Height: 18 inches, Origin: Himalayas.

I. tectorum Flowers: blue, Origin: China.

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I. florentina	Flowers: white with blue tint.
I. germanica	Flowers: purple, Height: to 4 feet.
I. kochii	Flowers: purple, Height: 2-3 feet.
I. pallida	Flowers: blue, sweet scent, Height: 2-3 feet, Origin: European Alps.
I. plicata	Flowers: white, lilac lines, Height: 2-3 feet.

I. aphylla	Flowers: purple, dark blue, Height: 1 foot, Origin: Eurasia.
I. lutescens	Flowers: yellow, purple, violet, Height: 4-10 inches, Origin: E Europe.
I. pumila	Flowers: yellow to purple, Origin: Eurasia.
I. reichenbachii	Flowers: yellow to purple, Height: 1 foot, Origin: SE Europe.

I. sibirica	Flowers: white, blue-violet, Height: 2 feet, Origin: Europe, N Asia.
I. typhifolia	Flowers: deep purple, Height: 2 feet, Origin: NE China.
I. chrysographes	Flowers: deep purple, golden markings, Height: 20 inches, Origin: China, Burma.
I. clarkei	Flowers: purple, Height: 2 feet, Origin: Himalayas.
I. wilsonii	Flowers: yellow, Height: 16 inches, Origin: China.

I. bracteata	Flowers: pale yellow, brown veins, Height: 1 foot, Origin: CA, OR
I. hartwegii	Flowers: lilac, pale yellow, Height: 8 inches, Origin: CA, San Bernardino Mountains
I. missouriensis	Flowers: blue, Height: 2 feet, Origin: W North America, San Bernardino Mountains.
I. tenuissima	Flowers: cream-colored, brown veins, Height: 1 foot, Origin: N CA.

I. orientalis	Flowers: white, Height: 3 feet, Origin: Middle East
I. pontica	Flowers: purple, Height: 4 inches, Origin: E Europe, C Asia.
I. sintenisii	Flowers: purple, Height: 1 foot, Origin: SE Europe, W Asia.

I. danfordiae	Flowers: yellow, Height: 18 inches, Origin: Turkey.
I. histrioides	Flowers: blue, Origin: Turkey.
I. reticulata	Flowers: purple, red, blue, white, Origin: Caucasus Region.
I. winogradowii	Flowers: yellow, Origin Caucasus Region.

I. albo-marginata	Flowers: pale blue, yellow, Height: 1 foot, Origin: C Asia.
I. aucheri	Flowers: blue, fragrant, Origin: Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria.
I. caucasica	Flowers: yellow, green, short, Origin: Iran, Turkey.
I. cycloglossa	Flowers: blue, fragrant, Height: 24 inches, Origin: NW Afghanistan.
I. graeberiana	Flowers: blue, Origin: C Asia.
I. magnifica	Flowers: lilac, yellow, Origin: Afghanistan, Tajikistan.

I. cristata	Flowers: lavender, blue, Origin: E North America.
I. milesii	Flowers: purple, Height: 18 inches, Origin: Himalayas.
I. tectorum	Flowers: blue, Origin: China.