8 Types of Iris Flowers & 19 Types of Iris (with Pictures) | House Grail (2023)

• Peter Ortiz
• Last update: Jan 17 2023

Irises are popular with gardeners and florists around the world. These perennials have beautiful flowers and come in many colors and with a rich history. Because irises are so popular, there are different types of irises.

Regardless of how many irises there are, all irises fall into one of two categories. Still, the sheer variety of iris species means gardeners have quite a few options to choose from.

To learn more about the 27 most popular iris flowers, read on. This article fully explains the two categories of irises and provides an overview of the most popular subspecies of irises in each category.

Bulbous irises vs. rhizome irises

First, it's important to know that there are only two types of irises: bulbous irises and rhizome irises. Every iris you see belongs to one of these two categories. What differentiates the two iris categories is how they are planted and grown.

The 27 most common irises

Although there are only two species of irises, there are far more than just two species of irises. Instead, there are dozens of iris flowers, each belonging to one of the two categories described above. Here are some of the world's most popular irises (19 bulbous irises and nine rhizome irises):

1.Dutch iris

The world's most widespread iris is the Dutch iris. This iris is most commonly used by florists and trimmed for bouquets. Interestingly, there are several subspecies and hybrids of the Dutch iris. For example, the Spanish iris is a well-known Dutch-Irish hybrid. Some of the most popular species for gardening are Dutch Iris Apollo and Magic Blue.

2.Reticulata Iris

The reticulata iris is another popular iris. It tends to be one of theearliest flowering of all irises. Sometimes this species of iris is referred to as a web iris because its bulb is surrounded by a fibrous web. The flowers are incredibly showy, making them a favorite in gardens.

3.bartiris

Of the rhizome irises, the bearded iris is the most popular. These flowers have super loud petals and are often much easier to grow than other rhizome irises. The name "Bearded" refers to the hair found on each of the falls. The purpose of these hairs is to attract pollinators, but they're also beautiful!

4.Dwarf Bartiris

As you can probably tell from its name, the dwarf bearded iris is just like the bearded iris. The only difference is that it's much smaller. While most bearded irises grow to between 8 and 15 inches, the dwarf bearded iris never grows over 8 inches. Most bearded iris varieties can also be found in dwarf form.

5.Bartlose Iris

The beardless iris is like the bearded iris. It's a rhizome iris, but it doesn't have beards. Instead, the flowers have bright stripes down the center to attract pollinators. Beardless irises are not as attractive as the bearded irises, but they can withstand a lot of conditions.

As with the other irises we've looked at so far, there are tons of different beardless iris varieties. Some of the most popular beardless irises are wild irises, Pacific Coast irises, Louisiana irises, and Siberian irises. Another super beautiful beardless iris is the Japanese iris, although it can be difficult to grow.

6.crested iris

The crested iris is one of the most beautiful flowers in the world. This flower contains both beards and signals, making it almost like a combination of the bearded iris and the beardless iris. This combination means the Crested Iris is visually stunning from every angle.

7.Dwarf Crested Irises

The dwarf crested iris is a native dwarf species. It's great for woodland gardeners, only growing to about 6 inches tall. It's just like the Crested Iris, but it's a lot smaller.

Read relatives:31 kinds of blue flowers

8.Yellow Flag Iris

The last iris on our list is the Yellow Flag Iris. We made this our final iris because it should only be planted and grown with great care. The Yellow Flag Iris is considered an invasive species in many areas, so be sure to research the irises in your area before you start growing them.

Final Thoughts

As you can see, there are dozens of iris types and we haven't even considered half of them. The above irises are considered to be some of the most popular around the world. It doesn't matter if you only have a small indoor garden or an entire part of your gardenLawnDedicated to your flowers, you should be able to find an iris that suits your region, your preferences, and your garden size.

If you are new to growing irises, we recommend starting with bulbous irises. These will be easier to practicegardening skills. Once you've mastered bulbous irises, you can move on to rhizome irises as well, but feel free to stick with bulbous irises if you'd like. After all, they are all beautiful!

Selected photo credits: zoosnow, Pixabay