About Iris unguicularis Poir.
Iris unguicularis Poir. (synonym Iris stylosa), commonly called the Algerian iris, is a rhizomatous flowering species in the genus Iris. It is native to Algeria, Greece, Turkey, Western Syria, and Tunisia. This plant reaches 30 centimetres (12 inches) in height, and has grassy evergreen leaves. It produces pale lilac or purple fragrant flowers, which have a central yellow band on the falls and prominent perianth tubes that can grow up to 20 cm (7.9 in) long. Flowers emerge in winter and early spring. Iris unguicularis is widely cultivated across temperate regions, and many cultivars have been selected for garden use. Notable cultivated selections include the slightly more tender white-flowered form 'Alba', the dwarf subspecies I. unguicularis subsp. cretensis, and the cultivar 'Mary Barnard', which has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
