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Iridaceae
Miniature Iris
Iris reticulata
First hope of spring's return.
- Family
- Iridaceae
- Genus
- Iris
- Native to
- Turkey, Caucasus, Iran, Iraq
- Bloom season
- Late Winter, Early Spring
- Type
- bulbous perennial
- Height
- 10–15 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, gritty
- Water
- low; dry in summer dormancy
- Hardiness
- 3–9
- Lifespan
- perennial bulb; long-lived
Did you know
- It blooms so early — often in February — that flowers sometimes push up through melting snow.
- The netted, reticulated bulb coat gives it the species name 'reticulata' from the Latin for 'netted'.
- Each tiny flower is as intricate as a full-sized iris, complete with falls, standards, and crests in miniature.
- The flowers have a sweet violet-like fragrance, unusual for early-blooming bulbs.
- It thrives in alpine troughs and rock gardens where its diminutive scale can be appreciated up close.
Color meanings
Purple
royal courage against winter
Blue
faith in renewal
Yellow
the first warm ray