Iris reticulata Dijt

Flowering as early as February, the Iris reticulata Dijt is a botanical species with rosy plum flowers, enhanced by small yellow spots speckled with black at the base of the sepals. It is a wonderful little bulbous plant, hardy and trouble-free, to be welcomed in rockeries, borders, and containers, where it will bloom at the same time as snowdrops. It should be grown in well-drained soil, in full sun or partial shade.

The Iris reticulata is a perennial plant with a highly variable appearance, belonging to the iris family, native to the mountains of the Caucasus, Turkey, Iran, and Iraq. This iris is very hardy (down to -34°C (-29.2°F)) and easy to cultivate. 'Dijt', from which it originates, develops from a storage organ, which is an elongated bulb measuring 2 to 3 cm (1in) in height, covered with a white epidermis. It blooms from late February or in March depending on the climate, before the appearance of foliage, making it valuable in the garden. The flowers, 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4in) wide, are carried by stems approximately 12 cm (5in) tall. They are large compared to the size of the plant and appear to emerge directly from the ground. They consist of 3 erect inner tepals, rosy plum in colour, dominating 3 more horizontal outer tepals, marked with a golden yellow spot and almost black stripes. They are particularly fragrant. The foliage develops when the flowers fade, forming a clump of narrow, stiff, and pointed leaves, up to a maximum height of 20 cm (8in). It is at this point that the bulb divides into several bulblets, allowing the plant to colonize its environment.

The Iris reticulata Dijt can be grown in pots as well as in sunny flower beds or rockeries. Its only requirements are well-drained soil and a sunny exposure. It can be paired with other small early-flowering bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocuses, or early and botanical tulips. It also pairs well with hellebores. They should be planted in groups of 15 bulbs to quickly create beautiful splashes of colour at the end of winter. It adapts perfectly to montane and Mediterranean climates.