Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia

Promoting environmentally sound gardening practices for over 35 years!

Mertensia virginica en masse.
Mertensia virginica en masse. Photo © Mary Free
You are here: Home / Plants / Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic / Ground Covers / Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris)

Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris)

Rhizomes of native Iris cristata
Iris cristataflower bud in April
Iris cristata flower signal and crest
Iris cristata flowers and leaves
Iris cristata en masse in May

Note: Click on images to see enlarged photos, captions, and photo attributions.
On a mobile phone, click on the information symbol (circle with a letter ℹ︎ symbol).

Indigenous* to wooded slopes and floodplain forests, this diminutive iris forms a lovely carpet in various shades of purple when it flowers in spring. Its colorful blooms and easy culture make it a valuable addition to a woodland garden. Ground Cover Flowers En Masse and Close-up Height: 1⁄2–3⁄4 foot Spread: 3⁄4–1 foot Bloom Color: Blue-violet with yellow and white Characteristics Mound-forming, herbaceous perennial 5–6 inch, sword-like leaves remain green in color throughout the season and dense to the ground 21⁄2-inch blue to violet to purple flowers bloom for 1–2 weeks in April; sepals with white and yellow signal with three parallel, ruffled, ridge-like crests Spreads by rhizomes to form dense colonies Attributes Tolerates drought and dense shade No serious diseases but snails and slugs may be a problem; deer rarely damage Toxic if eaten and may cause rash if touched Attracts hummingbirds and bees Growing and Maintenance Tips Excellent Replacement for Soil Requirements: Well-drained, acidic Muscari botryoides, M. neglectum, & M. atlanticum - Grape Hyacinth Light Requirements: Sun, Partial Shade Water Requirements: Moist Ranunculus ficaria - Lesser Celandine If sited in full sun, needs sufficient soil moisture Vinca minor - Periwinkle Excessive vegetative growth from high fertility Remove old blooms promptly after flowering Divide every 3 or 4 years after flowering *It is native to DC and parts of MD and PA. In VA, it is common in the southern half of the mountains and Piedmont; and rare in the northern mountains and Piedmont. In NoVA, it is native to Fairfax and Prince William counties. Use in borders and in rock or woodland gardens Hardiness: USDA Zones 3–9 developed by Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia, serving Arlington and Alexandria Images by Mary Free from Creating Inviting Habitats and Quarry Shade Garden

Tried and True Native Plant Selections 
for the Mid-Atlantic

Print Version (Legal Size):
Iris cristata (Dwarf Crested Iris)

Indigenous* to wooded slopes and floodplain forests, this diminutive iris forms a lovely carpet in various shades of purple when it flowers in spring. Its colorful blooms and easy culture make it a valuable addition to a woodland garden.

*It is native to DC and parts of MD and PA. In VA, it is common in the southern half of the mountains and Piedmont; and rare in the northern mountains and Piedmont. In NoVA, it is native to Fairfax and Prince William counties.

Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants: 
Tried and True Native Plant Fact Sheets

Back to Top