Iris danfordiae

An exquisite, diminutive iris that comes up with the snowdrops and early crocuses, Iris danfordiae is a small, deciduous, bulbous perennial with an upright habit. The green leaves are narrow, and short when the plant flowers, but afterward elongate to as much as 1’/30cm, disappearing in late spring as the plant goes dormant. The sweetly scented flowers, borne singly on a grey-green stem, are lemon- to primrose-yellow, with tiny brown or green freckling on the falls (lower petals). The Danford iris is also good in low containers, especially when planted with blue and violet Iris reticulata cultivars, which have a similar habit and flowering time. Wear gloves when planting the bulbs in September, 4-6”/10-15cm deep. Introduced from Turkey by a Mrs Danford.

Site: Tolerates exposure
Soil: Light, well-drained soil, preferably alkaline to neutral
Position: Best in full sun; tolerates partial shade
Season of interest: Late winter to early spring
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 4” (10cm) Spread: 4” (10cm)