Iris Florentica seed
LATIN NAME: IRIS FLORENTICA
COMMON NAME: Florentine Iris
The Florentine iris swords the fan of the broad, grey-green leaves, the tall, branching stems carrying the white flowers with the soft, lavender-blue falls, and the whole plant holding the stately, fragrant look of the bearded irises. The flowers open through the late spring, each bloom with the sweet, violet scent, and the thick, knobbly rhizomes spread just under the soil. The rhizomes have been dried and powdered for the orris root of the perfumes for the ages. It likes the sun, the sharp drainage, and the light, alkaline soil.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The Florentine iris keeps a long, fragrant record in the chemistry of the perfumery. The research covers the aromatic compounds in the rhizomes and the careful curing that turns the fresh root into the orris, and the chemists have isolated the irones that give the violet scent. The horticulturists value the hardy, easy iris for the border, and the flower’s long association with the heraldic fleur-de-lis keeps the botanists interested in its history.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
In the sunny border, the Florentine iris brings the stately bloom and the quiet scent together. The white flowers open through the late spring, the dried rhizomes have served the perfumes, the powders and the traditional remedies for the ages, and the neat, sword-like foliage holds its place through the season. The flowers draw the bees, and the clumps spread into the dependable drifts. Fragrant, easy and rewarding.
The Florentine iris seeds germinate in a fine, sandy grit kept barely moist in the bright, cool spot. The seedlings rise with the narrow, grassy leaves, and they grow on slowly at first. Prick them out into the sharp-draining ground once they are big enough, and give them the full sun. They like the dry, alkaline soil and the open, sunny border. The first white, scented flowers come in the second or the third season, and the clumps spread with the years.
To grow the Florentine iris from seed, sow the large, round seeds singly into the tray of fine, sandy grit, then cover them lightly, keep the tray in the bright, cool spot and water gently. The seedlings surface within a few weeks, and they grow on steadily. Plant the young irises into the sunny, sharp-draining bed, and the scented flowers will sword the border through the early summer.