The Chinese native Iris anguifuga, named in 1980, hails from sunny grassland slopes in Anhui, Guangxi, and Hubei, China. Although it has been cultivated for centuries for snake removal, it was only recently recognized as a distinct species. This odd, beardless species emerges in fall and remains evergreen all winter. In March, the foliage expands upward along with the 18" tall flowering spikes, which first open for us in early April (NC). Each spike is topped with flowers composed of six narrow petals...three upright purple standards, and three purple-veined falls. After flowering, the foliage goes summer dormant and the rhizome sluffs off, leaving only a bulb-like structure. Our offering of the clone, Iris 'Snake Bane', is a 1989 Jim Waddick introduction. Full sun and average to moist garden soils are fine.
