Iris Setosa - 40 Perennial Flower Seeds

IRIS setosa (bristle-pointed iris) are rich blue flowers. June – July. Similar to the shape of the Iris sibirica. Ht 45cm Sp 40cm. Moist soil. Sun or part shade.

Iris setosa is similar in form to a miniature Japanese iris, or a dwarf version of Iris sibirica but a shorter lived version.

The shallowly rooted, large, branching rhizomes spread over time to create large clumps. The rhizomes are grey-brown, thick, and are covered with old (maroon-brown) fibrous leaf remains (of last seasons leaves).

It has branched stems, which are very variable in height, ranging from 10 cm (5 inches) up to 1 m (3 ft) tall. The larger plants can grow beyond the height of the leaves. The roundish stems are between 1.5–9 cm in diameter with 1 to 3 branches.

Iris setosa has mid-green leaves, which are grass-like, and lanceolate (sword-shaped). They have a purplish tinged base and the leaves can measure 30–60 cm (12–24 in) long by 0.8–2.5 cm wide.

The plant has 3–4 flowers per stem (between 6 and 13 for the whole plant, in groups of 3) and it blooms between June and July.

The large flowers are between 5–8 cm (3–6 in) across, usually 7–8 cm, and come in a range of shades of blue, which can depend on the location. and range from violet, purple-blue, violet-blue, blue, to lavender. Very occasionally, there are pink or white forms.

Like other irises, it has 3 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'. The sepals can be deeply veined dark purple with a yellow-white signal (centre). The standards are so small, that they are reduced to bristles. Which gives the flower, a flat, three petal appearance.

The perianth tube (floral tube) is about 1 cm long, normally dark blue-violet to red-purple with darker veins.

The plant is self-fertile, being hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and it is pollinated by insects. The stamens are about 2 cm long, the anthers are purple and the ovary about 1 cm long.

After the flowers have finished blooming, the seeds ripen between August and September. They are cased within a green seed capsule, which is loculicidal, or cylindrical, (measuring 2.5 cm by 1.25 cm), which turns pale brown when it ripens. It has 6 ribs along its sides.

The pale brown seeds (about 2–3 mm in size) have a distinct raised raphe (tissue ridge) the length of one edge.