Dwarf Crested Iris
Iris cristata
Dwarf Crested Iris blooms so low to the ground that the lavender-blue flowers seem to rise directly from the forest floor with no stem at all. a charming effect unlike any other spring wildflower. The crested yellow and white markings on the falls guide bees into the flower with precision. Despite its small size, a colony in bloom is genuinely stunning, a carpet of iris color in April beneath just-leafing trees. It spreads vigorously by rhizomes to form a dense ground layer over time, making it an excellent native groundcover for shaded slopes and woodland gardens. The narrow, bright-green sword leaves are attractive through the summer and stay tidily upright. Extremely deer resistant. the rhizomes contain compounds that deer find objectionable. One of the best spring-blooming natives for a shaded landscape.
We grow a range of sizes and prices. Add the plant to your list, then pick your size when you visit.
Final price confirmed at pickup, depends on size and season.
- Thu, Jul 238 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Jul 248 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Jul 258 AM – 2 PM
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown dwarf crested iris propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
- Sun
- Part sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 4"–8"
- Bloom
- Spring blooms (April–May); attractive narrow foliage through summer and fall
- USDA zones
- 3–9
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside dwarf crested iris.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle 9–12 species that work together. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Butterfly Package
Host and nectar plants chosen to feed monarchs, swallowtails, and fritillaries spring through fall.
Hummingbird Package
Tubular-flowered natives that pull ruby-throats through your yard April through October.
S.O.S. Package
Save Our Songbirds, berry- and seed-bearing natives that feed nesting and migrating birds.