Iris Azurea - Dwarf Iris

'Iris 'Azurea' is a dwarf iris with beautiful light blue flowers early in the season. Its flowers are large compared to the height of the plant, and it quickly forms lovely, tenderly coloured clumps, perfect for creating a beautiful spring decoration in rockeries, planters, borders, and on large slopes.

Iris Azurea is a small rhizomatous perennial plant from the iridaceae family. Its origin is somewhat uncertain, listed in England by Cilbran since 1881, this variety seems to be the result of hybridization between Iris pumila, which blooms in rocky lawns in central Europe and Asia, and Iris lutescens, endemic to limestone lawns and scrubland in Mediterranean regions. These two dwarf irises have produced many horticultural cultivars classified in the category of Lilliputs or Rock Garden Iris.

Iris Azurea forms small, deciduous upright clumps from spring. The plant will reach 13 cm (5in) high when flowering, and the clump will spread without a theoretical limit over time, with the central rhizomes becoming bare in favour of the outer rhizomes. The foliage consists of thin, long, sword-shaped, a slightly glaucous green leaves. Short flower stems appear in March and bloom in April, earlier or later depending on the climate. The flower stem usually bears a solitary flower at its tip. The  4 to 5 cm (2in) tall flower consists of three upright, very light blue petals, above three drooping, silvery blue sepals veined with grey. The beards are cream white.

To accompany irises, choose plants based on their needs (exposure, soil...), growth (low-growing plants or light foliage), decorative appearance and flowering time. For example, Gaura will provide little shade and keep the faded iris bed attractive throughout the summer. Eschscholzia will be satisfied with the same dry and poor soil as the iris. Geraniums, salvias, and Libertia also accompany irises very well. Slopes and terraced edges can be stabilised by a dense planting of old diploid varieties that require little care.

Use the full range of irises for rockeries, stony and dry meadows, limestone plateaus, rocky slopes, and green roofs. Border edges are the domain of border irises, but you can also use dwarf irises!