Roof iris, Wall iris
Iris tectorum

Family: Iridaceae

What it is like

A fleshy stemmed iris. The roots are slender and there is a thick creeping rhizome. The leaves are broad and pale blue. The leaves are in fan shaped arrangements from the base. They are broadly sword shaped and curved and 15-50 cm long by 204 cm wide. The flowering stems have 1 or 2 branches and are 20-40 cm long. The flowers are somewhat flattened and lilac blue. They are 10 cm across.

There are about 300 Iris species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It is grown on the ridges of thatched roofs in Japan. It is usually grown in the ground planted against rocks. It needs a sunny position. It suits hardiness zones 6-9. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, Britain, China, Europe, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, SE Asia, Slovenia, Tasmania, Tibet

How it is used for food

Starch is extracted from the root.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

It can be grown by division of the plant or by seed.

Its other names

Local names

Yuanwei, Kite tail

Synonyms

Evansia tectorum (Maxim.) Klatt; Iris rosthornii Diels; Iris tomiolopha Hance; and others