Flowers of Red Violet in Dramatic Display



Flowers of Red Violet in Dramatic Display

Although many flowers are red-violet, several types of Japanese Iris exhibit the color in a most spectacular fashion.

Japanese Iris (I.ensata) are the last of the Iris to bloom and usually bloom about a month after Bearded and Siberian Iris have finished. Japanese Iris are a beardless iris that bear the largest flowers of all. Spikes that reach up to three feet tall carry blooms in unique shapes, colors (including the most brilliant red-violets), and striking patterns that measure as much as one foot in diameter. Broad foliage with a raised mid-rib makes a vertically interesting backdrop for other plants when the Japanese Iris has finished blooming.

The Japanese Iris is native to much of eastern Asia and has been cultivated in Japan for over 200 years. Single blooming varieties have three standards and three falls, doubles have six falls and peony-type blossoms are downward sloping with nine or more falls. Cultivars with red-violet flowers include the