Iris ID if possible

This plant is growing in my garden. If I ask anyone what it is they say "it's an Iris" or "it's a common garden Iris" well, I know that, I even know it's a Bearded Iris. The flower is about 2.5 to 3in across when fully open and about 5 inches high, maybe a bit less. There were five flowers on this spike and the top one was about 2 feet from the ground. This was it's first ever flower, so it may get bigger and taller, but I wouldn't think by much. Does anyone have a better Idea of what I could call it which would be better than "that purple Iris"? LOL,

Thanks in Advance, Kaelkitty

It looks like an iris species of some sort. A picture of the entire plant would give more information.

I'll take one and post it next week, but the flower is long gone (I picked it for an arrangement). It looks like a bog standard bearded iris plant, maybe a bit smaller than most, but then the named Hybrids I own tend towards the massive end of the scale KK.

What is a "bog standard bearded iris"?

Sorry about that!
Here in Australia, "bog standard" is Australian idiom for "boring, normal, average" with overtones of "dull" and "I'm not that impressed by". I didn't realize until you queried it that applied to a plant you could read a whole different meaning into it! LOL! KK.

PS. Personally I think it is beautiful, I am just channelling the attitude I have been getting from some gardening people, over here in real life. I guess what I am really trying to convey is that I can't tell it apart from any of my other bearded irises when it isn't in flower - same leaf shape, same leaf colour, maybe a bit smaller over all, but as I have said, this is the first time it has flowered, and the plant MAY get a bit bigger next year.

Do you remember if the spathes, area from which the bud emerges, is papery (semi transparent) or green? It could be an old cross from a species because of the tucked falls. It looks rather pleasant with a smooth finish. We might be able to help, but will try. L

Spathes were definitely papery - I remember noticing it at the time, in fact, after I picked it the lowest two buds on the spike didn't emerge, but shriveled up inside the spathes, which is NOT the way my named tall bearded's behave. KK

Papery spathes are a characteristic of I. pallida. The hybridized TBs as you know, are a mixture of several species then finished by hard work. The spathes on iris aphylla have a slightly different length on each side. The flower finish looked smoother to me than the pallidas I have seen, but I have not seen many of them. Dalmatica, a pallida we grow is a very tall plant, but is doesn't follow that all pallidas are the same size. I was seeking a basal branch, wondering if it could be the species cross. Anyway I will have my husband, John look at the picture when you are able to send it. Isn't gardening fun?
Lucy

OK Lucy I'll get the base in the photos for you. Yes gardening is great fun, even more so since I discovered DG. I'm no expert in Iris I just see what I like and buy them. At my last house they didn't do so well, possibly due to too much sun and heat, but they have really taken off since I replanted them at the new house. Trouble is I am going to have to wait for every rhizome I already have to bloom, before I know which varieties I still have and which ones I need to replace because the labels got stuffed up in the move. I also had a few unnamed ones as pass-alongs from here and there as well and this critter is one of those. As Stan Laurel used to say "it's a fine mess.." LOL, KK.

Thanks for trying the photos. I am a rookie with computers and can't do the technical stuff, certainly not photos, although ours are slides. I am really enjoying all the posted pictures.

It looks to me like one of the species iris germanica.

And it's about the right height.

http://www.badbear.com/signa/google.pl

Oh pollyk,
The I. germanica Photo number 10 ("Iris kochii") on that link just about hits it in the eye. The beards and the white striping at the base of the falls are near identical, the only two differences I can see is that the overall colour is a bit different (which could be the camera or the lighting anyway) and the petals on mine might be a touch fuller. If it is a species it should be self fertile, right? The next time it flowers I'll self pollinate it and see if it takes. IrisMA, I'll still take the photos for you - more knowledge is always good, right?

Ciao, KK.

I just love the germanica. I have purchased 3 from various sources, but they've not yet bloomed. I can't wait to see them. Yours is lovely.

Iris Colorado is a good place to look at species iris.

I especially love the dark purple ones.