Iris Multiple

Fleur-de-lis, Sword Lily, Iris, Flag

Message of the Flower

Aristocracy of Beauty

The Mother’s Comment

So perfectly formed that it compels admiration.

Spiritual Message by the Mother/ Quotes by Sri Aurobindo

Let beauty be your constant ideal.

The beauty of the soul

The beauty of sentiments

The beauty of thoughts

The beauty of the action

The beauty in the work

so that nothing comes out of your hands which is not an expression of pure and harmonious beauty.

And the Divine Help shall always be with you.

The Mother, On Education: Curriculum

In the world of forms a violation of Beauty is as great a fault as a violation of Truth in the world of ideas. For Beauty is the worship Nature offers to the supreme Master of the universe; Beauty is the divine language in forms. And a consciousness of the Divine which is not translated externally by an understanding and expression of Beauty would be an incomplete consciousness.

The Mother, Prayers and Meditations: January 29, 1917

Delight is the soul of existence, beauty the intense impression, the concentrated form of delight.

Sri Aurobindo, The Future Poetry: The Soul of Poetic Delight and Beauty

Beauty is Ananda taking form—but the form need not be a physical shape. One speaks of a beautiful thought, a beautiful act, a beautiful soul. What we speak of as beauty is Ananda in manifestation.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Poetry and Art: Art, Beauty and Ananda

Beauty is the special divine Manifestation in the physical as Truth is in the mind, Love in the heart, Power in the vital. Supramental beauty is the highest divine beauty manifesting in Matter.

Sri Aurobindo, Letters on Poetry and Art: Beauty

The one rule of the gnostic life would be the self-expression of the Spirit, the will of the Divine Being; that will, that self-expression could manifest through extreme simplicity or through extreme complexity and opulence or in their natural balance,—for beauty and plenitude, a hidden sweetness and laughter in things, a sunshine and gladness of life are also powers and expressions of the Spirit.

Sri Aurobindo, The Life Divine - II: The Divine Life

Beauty is his footprint showing us where he has passed, Love is his heart-beats' rhythm in mortal breasts, Happiness the smile on his adorable face.

Sri Aurobindo, Savitri - I: The Kingdom of Subtle Matter

Colour

Wide variety of shades and combinations

Family

Iridaceae

Cultivars

Numerous, including 'Bearded Iris,' 'Dutch Iris,' 'Siberian Iris,' etc.

Person who named the flower

Carl Linnaeus

Flower Size

Varies widely from 2 inches to over 8 inches across.

Flower Texture

Silky, sometimes with a velvety or bearded texture on the falls

Number of Petals

6

Floral Symmetry

Bilaterally symmetrical

Fragrance of Flower

Many are fragrant, with scents ranging from sweet to musky.

Leaf Texture

Smooth, sword-shaped

Leaf Arrangement

Basal, forming a fan-like pattern

Leaf Color

Generally green, some with a bluish or silver hue

Structural Variation (Shrub or Tree)

Herbaceous perennials

Life Cycle

Perennial

Blooming Period

Spring to early summer, with some varieties reblooming in the fall

Climate

Temperate to subtropical

Water Requirements

Moderate, with some species requiring well-drained conditions and others thriving in wetlands

Soil Type

Well-drained soils, pH adaptable

Temperature Ranges

Hardy to various climates depending on the species

Sun or Shade

Full sun to partial shade

Susceptibility to Insects and Diseases

Susceptible to iris borer, root rot, and fungal diseases

Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds

Habitat

Wide range, from dry rocky areas to wetlands

Role in the Ecosystem

Provides nectar and pollen for pollinators

Quotations

Various, often referencing beauty and transformation

Ornamental

Widely cultivated for ornamental purposes in gardens

Uses in Other Aspects of Life

Cultural and ceremonial uses

Endangered Status

Some species are considered endangered or threatened due to habitat loss and overcollection