Japanese Irises

The color range of Japanese irises is limited in comparison with bearded iris colors, although both the color and the color patterns have been greatly enhanced over the years with selective breeding. The wild species is reddish purple, but it is believed that rare variants collected in the wild were used to introduce white, pink (on the lavender side), and purple. There are also variations of purple with some more reddish and others more bluish. What is missing is true red and blue, though breeders are working toward those goals. Also absent is yellow, with the exception of the signals at the base of the tepals.

The color patterns of modern Japanese irises add diversity and style to these elegant garden plants. These patterns are also thought to have been derived from mutations and variations found in wild populations. Special jargon is used to describe the color patterns of Japanese iris. Sometimes catalogs and websites lack a photograph of an iris but use certain terms to describe it. These terms are also used for Japanese iris descriptions in the Cumulative Checklist of Japanese Irises. Knowledge of the descriptive terms for the color patterns is useful for visualizing or discussing the overall look of the iris.

Here are some terms used for describing these color patterns as well as their location on the bloom:

A Japanese iris having solid color with no markings other than the signal is known as a self. Usage: Iris ensata is a wine-red self.

Iris (Iris ensata) Photo by bonitin:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Margo-no-Sakura') Photo by pardalinum:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Eileen's Dream') Photo by PollyK:

A fine, narrow, contrasting line around the borders is referred to as edging or as being edged. Usage: I. ensata 'Frilled Enchantment' is edged bright rose-red; or alternatively, it has rose-red edging.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Frilled Enchantment') Photo by lorettalea:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Japanese Pinwheel') Photo by pardalinum:

Wider bands around the borders are known as rims or bands and the words are used in a similar way as edging and edged.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Pink Ringlets') Photo by pardalinum:

Rays are white or lighter than the background and follow the veins toward the edge of the petals. They often radiate from a lighter area around the signal and may show branching at the outer ends. Rays tend to be a bit wider than the actual veins.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Geisha Obi') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Joyous Troubador') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Dirigo Red Rocket') Photo by boojum:

Narrow, darker lines that follow the veins of the iris are described as being veined or as having veining.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Butterflies in Flight') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Dancing Waves') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Dino') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Gay Gallant') Photo by ge1836:

Sanding refers to many small spots and very short lines against a lighter background giving the appearance of scattered sand. I. ensata 'Earth and Fire' exhibits a combination of sanded and marbled pattern.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Dirigo Debutante') Photo by pardalinum:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Earth and Fire') Photo by pardalinum:

Marbled or splashed refers to irregular patterns of broken lines, splotches, and streaks where no two blooms are alike. I. ensata 'Confetti Dancer' and I. ensata 'Nishikiori' are good examples.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Confetti Dancer') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Nishikiori') Photo by lorettalea:

Freckled, speckled and flecked pretty much mean the same thing when used in a description. These refer to individual darker dots or short lines more or less evenly scattered over an area of a bloom. They differ from sanding in that they are much fewer and larger and they stand out prominently from each other when viewed from a short distance.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Freckled Peacock') Photo by pardalinum:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Cascade Rain') Photo by pardalinum:

Finally, a halo is a narrow band of sharply contrasting color around the signal. Most often the color is in the blue-violet range but it can also be white against a darker background.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Frosted Plum') Photo by ge1836:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Thoroughbred') Photo by PollyK:

Iris (Iris ensata 'Blue Twilight Moon') Photo by eclayne:

Now we will take a look at a description of a Japanese iris having multiple color patterns. I. ensata 'Celestial Emperor' is a newer Japanese iris, having been introduced in 2011. It is light violet, veined darker violet with a red violet band and edged white. A blue-violet halo surrounds the bright yellow signal.

Iris (Iris ensata 'Celestial Emperor') Photo by valleylynn:

You might consider trying a Japanese iris or two if you haven't grown them before. Cultivation information can be found in the iris parent plant section of the plant database. There are many cultivars to choose from and an array of patterns and colors to suit anyone's taste.