Iris is the largest genus in the Iridaceae family. It contains more than 300 species and many hybrids and cultivars. It's useful to become familiar with the groups or subgenus divisions, as this helps to sort out similar species, an aid when approaching their cultivation.
The topic of the week for March 2004 was Iris. The 
Introduction was supplied by Robert Pries. He also prepared a document summarizing the proposed changes in how this genus could be divided in the future. This word document,Iris Summary, will take a little time to open, but can be saved much quicker to home computers. A less elegantly formatted htm document, New Iris Classification, was prepared for people who could not open the word document.
Three genera that were formerly separated from Iris are now included in the genus: Hermodactylus, Belamcanda, and Pardanthopsis.
Bulbous irises with wiki pages are Juno Irises, Reticulata Irises, and Spanish Irises. Hybrids of Spanish Irises are called Dutch Irises and will be pictured on the Spanish Irises page.
Irises with rhizomes that have wiki pages are Aril Irises, Garden Bearded Irises, Beardless Irises, Crested Irises, and Pacific Coast Irises.
Click on the name in the table below to find more information and/or to see photographs of the named species or cultivar.
To see more Iris pictures go to the SIGNA species database
Return to the PBS Photographs And Information page