Iris 'Florentina' (IB/TB) | Florentine iris

RHS

Other common names

glaive lily, orrice root, orris root, fleur-de-lys

Synonyms

Iris filifolia 'Florentina'
Iris 'Florentina Alba'
Iris germanica var. florentina

Herbaceous Perennial

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A historic bearded iris, formerly grown as the source of the aromatic orris root, used in perfume making. It is a vigorous, spreading plant with slightly glaucous foliage, sometimes remaining semi-evergreen, and stems to 120cm bearing medium sized flowers. The standards are wide, erect, cupped, the falls are narrow, distinctly drooping, both are silvery white with a slight blue tinge and beards are yellow

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam Sand

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Iridaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Iris may be rhizomatous or bulbous perennials, with narrow leaves and erect stems bearing flowers with 3 large spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer
Name Status: Accepted
Horticultural Group

Horticultural Classification Codes

Horticultural Classification Codes are often given to genera which have a large number of species or cultivars. They are used to categorise cultivated plants based on specific, shared characteristics such as shape, colour, size or flowering time, and can be displayed as letters or numbers

For example:
Dahlia ‘Sunset Kate (Sin) = Single flower
Rosa ‘Marigold’ (HT) = Hybrid Tea: Intermediate Bearded irises are deciduous rhizomatous perennials, growing between 40 and 70cm tall, with sword-shaped light glaucous green leaves and erect stems bearing flowers 10-13cm across, bearded on the falls, in late spring and early summer

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in well-drained, fertile, neutral to slightly acid loam in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by division of rhizomes from midsummer to early autumn

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Coastal
Flower borders and beds
Wall side borders

Pruning

Remove any dying foliage in autumn, old flower stems can be cut down after flowering

Pests

May be susceptible to slugs, snails and thrips

Diseases

May be susceptible to aphid-borne viruses, bacterial soft rot and grey moulds; see Iris diseases