Taxonomy

Division:

Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants

Family:

Iridaceae

Genus:

Iris

Species:

Iris tenuissima

USDA Symbol:

IRTE3

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Geophyte

Height:

40 cm

Light Requirements:

Full Sun

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Bloom Colors:

cream, yellow, 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

Fire Ecology:

Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire

Fire Notes:

Resprouts from rhizomes following fire; found in fire-prone chaparral and woodland habitats of northern California and southern Oregon.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil

pH:

6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

dry to moderate

Notes:

native to dry, open areas; prefers full sun

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 60–90 days

Germination Time:

30–180 days

Notes:

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

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI