Native Dwarf Crested iris

Dwarf Crested Iris (Iris cristata) At only 4” to 6” tall, this charming spring native never fails to entertain onlookers. Small, sword-shaped leaves spring from petite rhizomes. Flowers are blue, violet or white. Like its larger cousin, German Bearded Iris, Dwarf Crested Iris does not like to have its rhizomes buried under soil or mulch. Leave the top half enjoying fresh air. Dwarf Crested Iris needs very little soil to sink its roots into and is quite drought tolerant. I like planting it around trees, especially near tough to plant spots such as a trunk’s flare line. One word of caution. If you have children or pets that are ‘ground feeders’, think twice about Crested Iris. Its rhizomes are poisonous. Iris cristata does well in sun to part shade and is hardy in Zones 3 – 8. It looks lovely when paired with Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ (blue, forget-me-not like flowers in spring adorning silvery, heart-shaped leaves) and Astilbe chinensis ‘Pumila’ (a dwarf, August blooming cultivar with lavender flowers).