English iris

The English iris (Iris xiphioides) is a bulbous iris species native to the Pyrenees. It is widely cultivated for its large, delicate flowers, which are typically dark purple with yellow markings, though cultivated varieties can also be white, blue, or wine-red.1

The genus Iris, to which the English iris belongs, is part of the Iridaceae family and includes about 300 species of flowering plants. These plants are known for their diverse garden flowers and are economically important in the floral industry and for producing orrisroot, used in perfumes. Irises can be either bulbous or rhizomatous, with flowers typically featuring three sepals, three petals, and three stigma branches. The English iris is closely related to the Spanish iris (I. xiphium) and Dutch iris.21