Florentine iris Iris 'Florentina' (Ib/tb)

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

'Florentina' is a historic bearded iris, formerly grown as the source of the aromatic orris root, used in perfume making. It is a vigorous, spreading plant with slightly glaucous foliage, sometimes remaining semi-evergreen, and stems to 120cm bearing medium sized flowers. The standards are wide, erect, cupped, the falls are narrow, distinctly drooping, both are silvery white with a slight blue tinge and beards are yellow

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Synonyms
  Orris Root, Florentine Iris, White Iris
- Common names
  Iris albicans, Iris germanica var. florentina
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  White
- Height
  2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 meters)
- Spread
  1-2 feet (0.3-0.6 meters)
- Plant type
  Bulb
- Hardiness zones
  3-9
- Native area
  Europe

Benefits

General Benefits
- Aesthetic Appeal: Irises 'Florentina' bring elegance and vibrant color to gardens, with their showy flowers enhancing the overall visual appeal of any landscape.
- Pollinator Attraction: The blooms attract bees, butterflies, and other important pollinators, which are essential for the health of the ecosystem.
- Easy Maintenance: Once established, Iris 'Florentina' is relatively low-maintenance, requiring minimal care beyond the basics such as occasional watering and dividing every few years.
- Long Blooming Season: This variety has a prolonged blooming period, which allows gardeners to enjoy their beauty for a significant portion of the growing season.
- Versatility in Landscaping: Iris 'Florentina' can be used in a variety of garden settings, including borders, water gardens, and as cut flowers in floral arrangements.
- Drought Resistance: Being drought-tolerant once established, Iris 'Florentina' is suitable for gardens in dryer climates or for water-wise landscapes.
- Attractive Foliage: Apart from the flowers, the foliage of Iris 'Florentina' brings structure and texture to gardens with its sword-shaped leaves.
- Perennial Growth: As a perennial plant, Iris 'Florentina' re-emerges each year, providing lasting value and reducing the need for annual replanting.
Medical Properties
- Skin care: Iris 'Florentina' root extract has been used in traditional medicine for its soothing and protective properties for skin.
- Fragrance: Its root, also known as orris root, has a violet-like fragrance and is sometimes used in the preparation of natural perfumes as well as in aromatherapy.
- Diuretic: Historically, orris root was believed to have diuretic properties, potentially promoting the production of urine and aiding in the removal of excess water from the body.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Perfumery: Iris 'Florentina' roots, known as orris root, are used to create a violet-like fragrance for perfumes, giving them a rich, earthy base note.
- Natural dye: The rhizomes of Iris 'Florentina' can be used to make natural dyes for textiles, yielding various shades of yellow, green, and brown.
- Art supplies: Orris root powder is sometimes mixed with other materials to create a natural fixative for artists' pastels, helping to bind the pigments.
- Gastronomy: In some traditional cuisines, small quantities of orris root are used to flavor certain dishes, syrups, or homemade beverages.
- Herbal sachets: Dried orris root from Iris 'Florentina' can be placed in cloth sachets, imparting a pleasant scent in drawers and wardrobes.
- Garden design: Iris 'Florentina' is popular for xeriscaping — landscaping that requires minimal irrigation — due to its drought tolerance once established.
- Crafting potpourri: The dried rhizomes are often added to potpourri mixes as they can hold scents for a prolonged period, releasing a gentle fragrance in the home.
- Decoration: The striking blooms of Iris 'Florentina' are used in floral arrangements and as garden ornamentals for their attractive form and color.
- Companion planting: This iris can be planted alongside vegetables to attract pollinators and beneficial insects, supporting a healthier and more productive garden.
- Ceramics: Occasionally, powdered orris root is used in ceramic glazes, contributing to unique textures and finishes in pottery.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
Iris is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
Iris is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Purity: The Iris 'Florentina' is often associated with purity due to its delicate white blooms and historical use in purification rituals.
- Royalty: Its regal appearance and association with historic royal emblems impart a symbolic meaning of royalty and nobility.
- Wisdom: Representing wisdom, the iris draws connections to the Greek messenger goddess, Iris, who was a link between heaven and earth.
- Valor: The bold stance and hardiness of the iris convey a sense of courage and valor.
- Hope: With its early blooming season, the Iris 'Florentina' represents hope and the promise of new beginnings.

💧

Every 7-10 days

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 3-4 years

Repotting

🌱️

Late summer to early fall

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Orris roots, the common name for Iris 'Florentina', require moderate watering. It should be watered when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, which may occur once a week during active growth in spring and summer. During the dormant season in fall and winter, watering should be reduced to every other week or less as the plant requires less moisture. When watering, use enough water to moisten the soil to a depth of around 8 inches. Avoid shallow waterings as these won't reach the deeper roots and may encourage weak growth.
Light
Orris roots prefer full sun conditions but can tolerate light shade. The ideal location for these plants is a spot where they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight daily. They will thrive best in a bright, sunny border or bed. If grown in too much shade, flowering may be compromised.
Temperature
Orris roots perform best in temperate climates and can handle a wide temperature range. They can survive minimum winter temperatures down to around 5°F, but ideally should be grown in regions where the temperature rarely drops below 14°F. The ideal growing temperatures for orris roots range between 60°F and 75°F during the growing season.
Pruning
Prune orris roots by removing spent flower stems down to the base after blooming to encourage healthy growth and prevent energy being wasted on seed production. Additionally, cut out any dead or damaged leaves throughout the growing season to maintain plant health. The best time for major pruning is immediately after flowering or in the late summer to remove old foliage and promote air circulation.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Orris, or Iris 'Florentina', thrives in moderately fertile, well-drained soil with a pH of 6.8 to 7.0. A soil mix composed of loam, compost, and sharp sand is ideal for ensuring adequate drainage and fertility.
Repotting
Orris should be repotted every 3 to 5 years to rejuvenate the soil and divide crowded clumps, ideally after flowering in late summer.
Humidity & Misting
Orris prefers average humidity levels. It does not have specific humidity requirements, making it suitable for outdoor garden conditions.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place Orris near a sunny window, ensuring proper drainage.
- Outdoor
  Plant Orris in well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade.
- Hardiness zone
  4-9 USDA
Life cycle
Iris 'Florentina', commonly known as Orris root or Florentine Iris, begins its life cycle as a rhizome, which is a type of bulb-like underground stem, planted in soil. In the spring, new shoots emerge from the rhizome, developing into tall, sword-shaped leaves and flowering stems. The plant flowers in late spring to early summer, bearing fragrant white blossoms that attract pollinators, such as bees, for sexual reproduction. After pollination, the flowers produce seeds, which can disperse to produce new plants. Post-bloom, the foliage continues to photosynthesize, storing energy in the rhizome for the next growing season. The plant then enters a period of dormancy in the late fall and winter, where the above-ground foliage dies back, and the rhizome rests under the soil until the next spring when the cycle repeats.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Late summer to early fall
- The most popular method for propagating Iris 'Florentina', commonly known as Orris or Florentine Iris, is through division. This process is ideally performed after the flowering period has ended, typically in late summer to early fall. To propagate by division, carefully dig up the clump of irises, ensuring you don't damage the roots. Gently shake off any excess soil and use a sharp knife to split the rhizome, ensuring that each division has at least one fan of leaves and a portion of the roots attached. Trim the leaves to about a third of their height to minimize water loss and replant the divisions at the same depth they were growing before, spaced about 12 to 24 inches (approximately 30 to 60 centimeters) apart. This will encourage the rejuvenation of the plant and lead to better blooming in the following season.