Kingdom Plantae Family Iridaceae Subgenus Limniris Scientific name Iris chrysographes Rank Species | Order Asparagales Genus Iris Series Sibericae Higher classification Irises | |
Similar Irises, Iris spuria, Iris sibirica, Iris nigricans, Iris forrestii | ||
Iris chrysographes, commonly known as the black iris, is a plant species that belongs to the genus Iris. It is native to S China and Myanmar (Burma), growing in meadows, streamsides, hillsides and forest margins.
Contents
Other irises with black flowers include Iris nigricans (the national flower of Jordan), Iris petrana, Iris atrofusca, Iris atropurpurea, Iris susiana, and some varieties of Iris germanica.
Classification
Horticultural classification: Sino-Siberian Iris, Beardless Iris.
Description
Herbaceous perennial with creeping rhizomes. Leaves linear and grayish green, to 70 cm long. Flowering stems 25–50 cm, hollow. Flowers reddish violet to very dark violet, almost velvety black, 6–9 cm in diameter, outer tepals usually with golden yellow stripes. Deliciously fragrant. Flowers in June to July.
Cultivation
Iris chrysographes is easily cultivated and requires a fertile soil which does not dry out during the growth period. Grow in full sun. Hardy to USDA zone 4. Propagation by seeds or division in the spring. Cultivars must be divided. For cooler areas plants do best if planted in the spring.
Cultivars
Some cultivars are grown, mainly "black" flowered clones under names as 'Black Beauty', 'Black Knight', 'Black' (syn. 'Black Form', an invalid name), 'Ellenbank Nightshade', 'Stjerneskud' and 'Kew Black'. 'Rubella' is purplish violet. Iris chrysographes has been used in a number of hybrids with other species.
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.