Bulbs, Perennials > Iris > Iris foetidissima > Iris foetidissima
Iris foetidissima
Stinking Iris, Stinking Gladwin, Gladwin Iris, Coral Iris
Origin: Western Europe, including England, Ireland, France, north Africa, Italy and Greece.
| Family |
| Iridaceae |
| Genus |
| Iris |
| Species |
| foetidissima |
| Category |
| Bulbs, Perennials |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 7b - 8a |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 7 |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H5 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -15 - (-9) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| 5 - 15 |
| Height |
| 30 - 60 cm |
| Spread |
| 30 - 45 cm |
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Cultivars
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Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Iris foetidissima is a rhizomatous, herbaceous perennial with long sword-shaped leaves, scrawny-looking flowers on tall stalks and attractive crimson seed capsules. |
| Landscape |
| Good for any shady location. |
| Cultivation |
| Grow in full sun to part shade, in moist, well-draining, humusy soil. Tolerant of some drought once established. Plants are slow to establish and may take two or three years to produce quality seed displays. |
| Growth |
| Fast |
| ID Characteristic |
| Showy seed capsules containing brightly coloured seeds split open in winter. |
| Pests |
| No serious pests or diseases of note. |
| Habitat |
| Open woodland, sea-cliffs, hedges and banks. |
| Leaf Description |
| Dark green, narrow, sword-shaped, up to 2.5 - 0.6 m giving off an unpleasant smell when cut or bruised. |
| Flower Description |
| Long, beardless, white falls with dark purple venation; bi-lobed, lilac standards also elongated; styles have narrow arms and yellow-tinged crests; scape rises 0.25 - 0.6 m tall. |
| Fruit Description |
| Capsules split open in early autumn, revealing stringy clusters of crimson seeds. These often last well into winter and dry well. |
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