Iris variegata

Iris variegata has often been confused for Iris pallida 'Argentea Variegata, which has variegated leaves. But Iris variegata has variegated flowers.

It has stout rhizome,{{cite web|first=Ladislav | last=Hoskovec | title= Iris variegata L. – Hungarian Iris | date=8 February 2014 | url=http://botany.cz/en/iris-variegata/ | publisher=botany.cz |access-date=20 June 2014}} with roots that can go up to 10 cm deep in the ground.

It has leaves that are around 1–3 cm wide, dark green, ribbed leaves. They are slightly falcate (sword shaped).

It can be variable in height in the wild (30–45 cm).{{cite web| title=Iris variegata | url=http://encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net/plants/Iris/variegata | publisher=encyclopaedia.alpinegardensociety.net | access-date=4 November 2014}} Generally, it grows up to 45 cm (18 in) high, The branched flowering stems can be as tall as the leaves. There are normally 2–3 flowers per stem. The scentless flowers appear in early summer, May – June.

The perianth tube is 2–2.5 cm long. The flowers are yellowish-white, with brown-purple veins on the falls. The flowers are generally about 5–7 cm wide.{{cite book|editor=Christopher Bricknell | title=Gardeners' Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers| date=1989 | edition=7th | page=524 | publisher=Dorling Kindersley| isbn=978-0751301472 }} The falls are obovate-oblong shaped and nearly 2 cm wide, yellow with purple or chestnut brown veins, which are darker closer to the apex. It has a yellow beard in the centre on the lower part of the fall, the standards are erect, (vary in colour) from pale yellow to bright yellow and gold.

It has a seed capsule measuring 2.2–2.8 cm long by 1–1.3 cm wide, with 6 ribs along the edge.

As most irises, this species is diploid, having two sets of chromosomes. This can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings. It has a chromosome count of 2n=24.

It is commonly known as the 'Hungarian iris'.{{ITIS|id=43235|taxon=Iris variegata|access-date=9 June 2022}}{{cite web|title=Iris variegata (Hungarian iris)| url=http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:439226-1|publisher=kew.org|access-date=20 June 2014}}{{cite web | title=(SPEC) Iris variegata L. | url=http://wiki.irises.org/bin/view/Spec/SpecVariegata | date=9 February 2010 | publisher=wiki.irises.org | access-date=4 November 2014}} It is known as 'skäggiris' in Swedish.{{GRIN | access-date=17 February 2018}}

It was once known as Iris hungarica.Robert Sweet {{Google books|OH1IAAAAYAAJ|The British Flower Garden: Containing Coloured Figures and descriptions of Hardy Herbaceous Plants, Volume 1 (1825)|page=74}} which also applies to Iris aphylla subsp. hungarica.

It was described in 1753 by Carl LinnaeusKelly D. Norris {{Google books|6YwFZmzxgecC|A Guide to Bearded Irises: Cultivating the Rainbow for Beginners and Enthusiasts|page=122}} in 'Species Plantarum' (on 1 May 1753).{{cite web|title=Iridaceae Iris variegata L | url=http://www.ipni.org/ipni/idPlantNameSearch.do?id=439226-1 |publisher=ipni.org (International Plant Names Index) |access-date=4 November 2014}}

Between 1800 and 1850, several Iris breeders (including Lémon, Jacques and Salter), started breeding border irises for the garden. These irises were all the progeny of two species, Iris pallida and Iris variegata.{{cite web|first=John C. |last=Wister| title=NOTES ON THE HISTORY OF THE BEARDED IRIS|date=October 1920|url=http://bulbnrose.x10.mx/Heredity/Iris/WisterIrisBreeding1920.html|publisher=Journal of The New York Botanical Garden 21(250): 181–191 |access-date=21 June 2014}} It was William Rickatson Dykes who worked out that these were the parents of most hybrids,{{cite book |last1=Cassidy |first1=George E.| last2=Linnegar | first2=Sidney | date=1987 |edition=Revised | title= Growing Irises |location=Bromley | publisher=Christopher Helm | isbn=0-88192-089-4}} especially those bi-coloured hybrids.{{cite book | first1=Roger | last1=Phillips | first2=Martyn | last2=Rix | title=Perennials Vol. 1 | page=190 |year=1991 | publisher=Pan Books Ltd |isbn=9780330327749}} These new irises were known as 'Tall Bearded Irises'.{{cite book | first= Claire | last=Austin | title= Irises: A Gardeners Encyclopedia | publisher= Timber Press, Incorporated | isbn = 978-0881927306 | year = 2005 | ol = OL8176432M | page=}} In the wild, hybrids of Iris pallida and Iris variegata are very similar to Iris germanica.{{cite book |last=Stebbings |first=Geoff |year=1997|title=The Gardener's Guide to Growing Irises |url=https://archive.org/details/gardenersguideto00steb |url-access=registration |location=Newton Abbot |publisher=David and Charles |isbn=0715305395 }}

Hundreds of hybrids exist representing every colour from jet black to sparkling whites. The only colour really missing is bright scarlet. Many modern garden bearded irises are crosses of 'Iris germanica' and Iris variegata.

Iris variegata is an accepted name by the RHS,{{cite web|title=Iris variegata | url=https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/9395/Iris-variegata/Details |publisher=www.rhs.org.uk| access-date=4 November 2014}} and it was verified by United States Department of Agriculture and the Agricultural Research Service on 4 April 2003, then updated on 20 April 2009.

It is native to parts of Europe.

Iris variegata is found in the Pannonian (ancient Roman province) region of central Europe. It occurs in southern Moravia, southern Slovakia, south-western Germany, southern Romania, Bulgaria, western Ukraine, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Serbia, Hungary and Vienna, Austria .

It has been introduced into Switzerland, Bohemia and Italy.{{cite web|title=Iris variegata L. |url=http://eunis.eea.europa.eu/species/186717/ |publisher=eunis.eea.europa.eu|access-date=21 June 2014}}

It prefers to grow in open stony areas and amongst scrub and light woodland, and also on the sunny slopes of the steppes and beside forest margins.

It is an 'endangered' and protected species in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

It is extremely hardy, as after flowering, its leaves die entirely away in the autumn and the plants remain dormant, until the spring when it regrows leaves and stems.{{cite web| first=William | last=Dykes| title=Handbook of Garden Irises | year=2009| url=http://www.beardlessiris.org/reviews/handbook%20of%20garden%20irises%20-%20dykes.pdf | publisher=beardlessiris.org (The Group for Beardless Irises) | access-date=4 November 2014}} It is best cultivated in well-drained fertile soils, but is tolerant of partial shade.

It can be easily grown in gardens in Kashmir.{{cite web | title=Hungarian Iris | first=Gurcharan | last=Singh | url=http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Hungarian%20Iris.html | publisher=flowersofindia.net | access-date=4 November 2014}}

Lifting, dividing and replanting the rhizomes is best done once flowering has finished, because this is when the plant grows the new shoots that will flower the following year. The rhizomes are placed on the surface of the soil facing towards the sun and with at least 45 cm of open ground in front of them – this allows two years growth and flowering. The plant is held in place by removing half the leaf mass to reduce wind rock and by using the old roots as anchors in the soil. The rhizome is placed on well dug ground and the roots placed either side into 10 cm deep grooves. The soil is then gently firmed around the roots, so holding the plant steady. New roots and leaves are created rapidly as the rhizome moves forwards.

It also can be propagated by seed.

• 'Staten Island' (registered in 1945),
• 'Gracchus' (1884),{{cite web|year=2004|title=PlantFiles: Miniature Tall Bearded Iris, Historic Iris Iris variegata 'Gracchus'|url=http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/35163/#ixzz35GPjU2kghttp://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/35163/|publisher=davesgarden.com|access-date=21 June 2014}}
• 'Mary Vernon' (1940)

• Iris variegata var. Reginae (white flowers with purple and violet veining), which was collected in Hungary in 1947.{{cite web| title= Iris variegata var.Reginae | date=15 November 2008 | url=http://historiciris.blogspot.co.uk/2008/11/iris-variegata-varreginae.html | publisher=historiciris.blogspot.co.uk | access-date=4 November 2014}}
• Iris amoena (white standards, lilac/mauve falls),
• Iris variegata var. pontica,{{cite web | title=Iris variegata var. pontica | url=http://www.signa.org/index.pl?Iris-variegata-var.-pontica | date=15 June 2008 | publisher=signa.org | access-date=4 November 2014}}

File:The Botanical Magazine, Plate 16 (Volume 1, 1787).png|Illustration from The Botanical Magazine, Plate 16 (Volume 1, 1787

File:Iris variegata sl5.jpg|Downward view of iris

File:Iris variegata sl22.jpg|side view of iris

• Orris root

{{Reflist|3}}

• Aldén, B., S. Ryman & M. Hjertson. 2009. Våra kulturväxters namn – ursprung och användning. Formas, Stockholm (Handbook on Swedish cultivated and utility plants, their names and origin).
• Czerepanov, S. K. 1995. Vascular plants of Russia and adjacent states (the former USSR).
• Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934–1964. Flora SSSR.
• Mathew, B. 1981. The Iris. 22–23.
• Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1964–1980. Flora europaea.

• {{Wikispecies-inline|Iris variegata}}

{{Commons category|Iris variegata|position=left}}

{{Iris subg. Iris}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q164360}}

variegata

Category:Flora of Middle Europe

Category:Flora of Eastern Europe

Category:Flora of Southeastern Europe

Category:Flora of Southwestern Europe

Category:Garden plants of Europe

Category:Plants described in 1753

Category:Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus