Iris innominata
Common name
Del Norte iris; Pacific Coast iris (see ‘notes’ below)
Family
Iridaceae
Flora category
Vascular – Exotic
Structural class
Herbs - Monocots
Conservation status
Not applicable
Brief description
Tufted evergreen iris with short woody rhizomes. Flower colour highly variable in cultivation, partly the result of hybridisation with other Pacific Coast irises. Two flowers per culm.
Distribution
Widely cultivated in NZ, perhaps less so now than formerly; seedlings common among and near planted specimens
Habitat
Full sun; well-drained soils
Year naturalised
2010
Origin
southern Oregon, and California
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Etymology
iris: From the Greek iris ‘rainbow’, presumably in reference to the many colours of the flowers (Johnson and Smith, 1986).
Notes on common names
Del Norte Iris may apply to plants from from just one location in California; ‘Pacific iris’ applies to several species
Attribution
Prepared for NZPCN by Colin Ogle.