Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Iridaceae

Genus:

Iris

Species:

Iris tenuis

USDA Symbol:

IRTE2

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

35 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Low

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

white, lavender, purple

Wildlife Benefits

Bees:

★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★☆☆☆ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

bees

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers shaded woodland environments

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–180 days

Notes:

Germination can be erratic; seeds benefit from cold-moist stratification and may take multiple seasons to emerge.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI