Hi ! I have been part of this Garden. Org for over five years and this is the first thread that I have ever posted. I have just been curious for a long time if anyone knows where I can purchase some of the teeny tiny dwarf Bearded Iris? Or if this is just something that people do as a hobby and they aren't available. But the ones that I'm speaking of are only about 4 inches tall and the flower is about the size of a 50-cent piece. I've seen people post pictures of them on different sites but never for sale or on an actual garden centers website or Iris farm. I know that they exist but just wondered if anyone here could tell me where I could purchase them. Thank you!

Those are MDB's (Miniature Dwarf Bearded) iris. Here are a few places, off the top of my head, that I know of that have them: Longs Gardens, Winterberry Gardens, Mid America Gardens, Schreiners Iris Gardens. . But I know there are many more wonderful vendors that sell them. Just google for Miniature Dwarf Bearded.

And Alyce to the Iris Forum

Also, I just double checked and they can get up to 8" in height. Mine don't usually get that big because I don't have the best climate for them. Also, the flowers for me are usually bigger that a 50 cent piece but they still have that "cuteness" allure. I am pretty nuts about them!!!

Hi Alyce,
I love the dwarfs!

I will add also Aitken's, Tina and Daughter's, Stout's...
and the DIS has a sale where you can often find some really neato ones that you can't find elsewhere
http://www.dwarfirissociety.or...

and then there are the trades with other members

Where abouts in Utah are you?
I'm open for shovel shopping by appointment

to the forum Alyce

again! (you posted on another thread where I welcomed you)

alyce to the iris forum.

MDBs like winter cold so many of the TB people in warmer climates don't grow them. All of the vendors mentioned above put forth a few.

Another vendor which has a lot of SDB iris is Eagle Ridge iris Gardens. Their customer service is awesome.

Welcome Alyce. When I first read your question, I was wondering if you were thinking of rock iris? They are a bulb and only about 4 inches tall. They are not bearded and bloom fairly early. If you google rock iris, the photos may help you decide if that matches what you are observing?

I have boulders and a waterfall in my landscaping and planted about a hundred rock iris last October at the base of and in between the boulders. The bulbs are about the size of a dime if not smaller. Mine are popping up all over right now.

The Miniature Dwarf Bearded iris mentioned in the posts above will give you much more of a landscaping pop than the rock iris.

Good luck!

Alyce, Maybe you are recalling some pictures you've seen on this forum of tiny blooms in pots. I found this post from Bonnie from a few years ago with her pictures of MDB Blue Doll. I don't know if this is typical size or if it is small because it is in a pot, but it sure is cute!

https://garden.org/thread/view...

The little "rock iris" are called reticulated iris and they are short and cute when blooming, very ephemeral though.

Their leaves shoot up about 18 inches, afterward, for a while and they drive me nuts--then they go dormant for the summer so I typically forget where they are and that I want to move them

As mentioned I. reticulata is a bulb & planted in the fall.

Miniature dwarf iris 'Blue Doll' originated here in New England where it is a typical size of a MDB.

The smallest MDB I own is called 'Pele'. This tiny thing is supposed to be about 11" tall, according to the A.I.S., however, height varies for me with this plant (between 6" - 8"). I don't know if this effect has to do with weather conditions or outside temperatures and/or if it happens with other MDB's.

Thank you TBipp. I didn't even think about the rock iris . You are right, they more fit the bill.

Also some nice little species

Some MDBs are pure pumila, although they are sometimes registered as 'species' which is what they are. Depends on what the hybridizer want to do.