Iris sibirica
It is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial, from Europe (including France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia, Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine and northern Turkey) and Central Asia (including Armenia, Azerbaijan and Siberia).It has long green grass-like leaves, tall stem, 2–5 violet-blue, to blue, and occasionally white flowers.[6][8] It has 3 brown paper-like spathes (leaves of the flower bud), that are reddish at the base, measuring between 3–5 cm (1–2 in) long.[8][29] It is known as iris de Sibérie (in French), sibirische Schwertlilie or Wiesen-Schwertlilie (in German) and strandiris (in Swedish).[3] Within Europe,[17][15][35] it is found in west France,[4] Italy,[11][24][36] Switzerland,[4][6] Austria, Czech Republic and Slovakia,[27] Germany, Hungary,[27] Poland, Romania, Bulgaria,[4] Former Yugoslavia,[4] Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine[27] and northern Turkey.[7][28] It is found growing in damp woodland,[27][38] wet meadows, grasslands or pastures,[16][27][38] reed swamps by lakes, and beside streams.[7] According to IUCN Red List criteria, it is 'Vulnerable' (VU) (in the Czech Republic,[39] Hungary, Ukraine) and it has become 'Extinct' in the Wild (EW) in Slovakia.[27] The UK national collection of Siberian irises is kept by Alun and Jill Whitehead at Aulden Farm, 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Leominster in Herefordshire.[14] The iris should be grown in well-drained,[4][13] fertile,[10] neutral to slightly acidic soils (the pH level should be more than 5.6).[16][38] If the soil has a high sand or clay content, large amounts of organic material (such as compost or well rotted manure) should be incorporated at planting time.[10] The National Collection (of Siberian Irises in UK) is held at Lingen Nursery, on the Welsh border.[10] The plant position must be prepared before hand with plenty of compost (or manure) added to the soil to improve the fertility.[22] The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit (in the UK):- Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting.[12] Johan Peter Falk noted that the Tara Tartars of Russia (West Siberia) coloured cloth yellow with Iris sibirica flowers and the Votyaks, Mordvins and Kalmyks derived red dye from Galium species.[17] An old traditional usage before the wedding night, Polish girls eat the cooked fruit (seeds) of Iris sibirica to help improve contraception.
Scientific classificationPlantaeTracheophytesAngiospermsMonocotsAsparagalesIridaceaeIris subg. LimnirisIris ser. SibiricaeBinomial nameSynonymsrhizomatousherbaceousperennialtemperateIris sanguineaspathessepalstepalsdiploidchromosomesIris typhifoliaCarolus ClusiusmonasteriesCarl LinnaeusnativeFranceSwitzerlandAustriaGermanyHungaryRomaniaBulgariaYugoslaviaBelarusEstoniaLatviaLithuaniaMoldovaUkraineTurkeyCaucasusArmeniaAzerbaijanSiberiaRussia FederationLake BaikalIris bloudowiiIris glaucescensIris humilisIris ruthenicaIris tenuifoliaIris tigridiaAltai-Sayan regionnaturalizedOntarioConnecticutMassachusettsNew YorkPennsylvaniaVirginiaCaliforniawet meadowsIUCN Red ListSlovakiaCarpathianLeominsterpH levelVita Sackville-Westbog gardenHerbaceous borderNational CollectiondivisionfertilizersomaticembryogenesishybridsIris ensatacultivarsRoyal Horticultural SocietyAward of Garden MeritstarchinsecticideexpectorantJohan Peter FalkTartarsVotyaksMordvinsKalmyksGaliumemeticlaxativePolishcontraceptionPostage stampPolandnectar guidesGoogle BooksGermplasm Resources Information NetworkAgricultural Research ServiceUnited States Department of AgricultureInternational Plant Names IndexBibcodeStace, CliveWikidataWikispeciesiNaturalistNatureServeObservation.orgOpen Tree of LifePlant ListTropicos