Iris

The iris is a flowering plant in the family Iridaceae.

The iris has a wide range of habitats and can be found in different regions of the world.

The diversity of the genus is centred in the north temperate zone, though some of its most handsome species are native to the Mediterranean and central Asian areas.

Iris is predominantly found in dry, semi-desert, or colder rocky mountainous areas, but also in grassy slopes, meadowlands, bogs and riverbanks.

Some of the popular garden irises are hybrids of species from Europe, such as Iris pallida, Iris variegata, and Iris germanica.

Other irises are native to North America, Asia, or Africa.

The iris is a flower that comes in many colors and shapes.
It has six petals, but they are not all the same.
The three lower petals are called falls, and they curve down like a waterfall.
The three upper petals are called standards, and they stand up like flags.
Some irises have a beard, a fuzzy line on the falls, or a crest, a raised ridge on the falls.
Some irises grow from rhizomes, thick roots that store food, and some grow from bulbs, round structures that protect the plant underground.
The iris is named after a Greek goddess who rode rainbows, and its flowers are indeed like colorful jewels in the garden.