| Description |
Iris cristata has many forms and this one I found in north Georgia while fly fishing in the spring of 2004. This selection I choose for its darker than usual purple flowers. While the flowers are to a degree smaller than normal, the intense hue of purple lends to its name 'N3 Purple Crown'.
Iris cristata is one of the very best choices for a ground cover in full sun to shade where average moisture is consistent. Iris cristata is a true deciduous species dropping its foliage in November. It is so easy to forget about this species during the cold, cold winters only to be rewarded and very surprised as its bright green new foliage appears followed by many white to purple flowers that appear in April. It bounces back to life and starts spreading with new rhizomes to develop a graceful ground cover carpeting effect. A sea of lime green foliage in early spring maturing to medium green by early summer. Most all selections will spread to approximately 3-4'Wide, while only growing and flowering to a height of 4-6".
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