Rhizome fleshy. Leaves flat, sword-shaped, 50-100 cm long, grey-green. Stem 40-65 cm tall. Spathes membranous, 6-9 cm long. Flowers 2-4, violet to reddish purple, 9-10 cm wide; spring, often blooming again in late summer. Perianth tube 20 mm long; falls elliptic, blunt, 8-9 cm long, with yellow claws; standards erect, narrow-oblanceolate, 6 cm long. Style branches flat, 5-6 cm long.
Generally grown in permanent water. There are cultivars with 3 or 6 falls and one with variegated leaves and blue flowers.
Hutchinson introduction.
Siberia, N China, Manchuria, Japan.
Source: (2005). Iridaceae. In: . Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 5. Flowering plants. Monocotyledons. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.
Iris laevigata 'Albo-purpurea'
White, mottled purple on the falls.
S motley' Flowers irregularly pink and blue. An Australian Janet
Flowers red-purple.
Iris laevigata 'Royal Cartwheel'
Rich blue with 6 falls.
Flowers white.
