Plant paradise: Bearded irises

One of the early irises in bloom. Probably the most popular iris for gardens is the tall bearded type. “Bearded” refers to the presence of a furry strip on each of three drooping, petal-like sepals, called falls. The true petals are called standards and are upright. Flowers appear in late spring to early summer on stalks above the foliage. The leaves are stiff and strap-like and grow in fan-shaped clumps.

Bearded irises grow from an underground stem known as a rhizome. Irises are called ayame in Japanese or hanashobu.

See this Growing Irises Fact Sheet