Crested Iris, Dwarf crested iris
Iris cristata
Family: Iridaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Blue, Purple, White. Main Bloom Time: Late spring, Mid spring. Form: Upright or erect.
Iris cristata is a PERENNIAL growing to 0.2 m (0ft 8in) by 0.5 m (1ft 8in) at a medium rate. It is in flower from May to June. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. The plant is self-fertile. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 0.2
Where it is found
Rich woods, wooded bottoms and ravines, usually in calcareous soils.
Eastern N. America - Maryland to Ohio, south to Georgia, Tennessee and Missouri.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 1
Root - used as a spice. Frequently chewed by local people to alleviate thirst. When first chewed the roots have a pleasant sweet taste, within a few minutes this changes to a burning sensation far more pungent than capsicums. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Root: includes bulbs, corms, tubers, rhizomes etc.
Medicine
Rating: 1
An ointment made from the roots is applied to cancerous ulcers. A tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of hepatitis.
Hepatic: Acts on the liver (for better or worse!).
Poultice: A moist, usually warm or hot, mass of plant material applied to the skin in the treatment of burns etc.
Other
Rating:
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Alpine garden, Container, Ground cover, Massing, Rock garden, Woodland garden. Requires a light or gravelly lime-free soil of a woodland nature in partial shade or full sun. Likes plenty of moisture in summer but the soil must be well-drained. Grows well on a peat bank. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. Another report says that it is best if the plants are lifted intact in October, stored in sand and planted out in March. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer and rabbits. Plants require protection from slugs. Frequent division and transplanting every other year is necessary if the plant is to thrive and persist. Special Features:North American native, Naturalizing, All or parts of this plant are poisonous, Suitable for cut flowers. The plant is heat tolerant in zones 10 through 1. (Plant Hardiness Zones show how well plants withstand cold winter temperatures. Plant Heat Zones show when plants would start suffering from the heat. The Plant Heat Zone map is based on the number of "heat days" experienced in a given area where the temperature climbs to over 86 degrees F (30°C). At this temperature, many plants begin to suffer physiological damage. Heat Zones range from 1 (no heat days) to 12 (210 or more heat days). For example Heat Zone. 11-1 indicates that the plant is heat tolerant in zones 11 through 1.) For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. A clumping mat former. Forming a dense prostrate carpet spreading indefinitely. The root pattern is rhizomatous with underground stems sending roots and shoots along their length.
Propagating it: Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It does not require cold stratification. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first year. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division in July/August. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Dappled Shade; Shady Edge;
Habit: Perennial
Hardiness: 5-9
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist
Things to keep in mind
Many plants in this genus are thought to be poisonous if ingested, so caution is advised. The roots are especially likely to be toxic. Plants can cause skin irritations and allergies in some people.