Leafless iris

Family Cruciferae. Predominantly in shrub thickets, along forest edges, in clearings, on loamy or rocky soils from the southern taiga to the subtropical zone of Europe and in the mid-mountain belt of Armenia and Georgia.

Perennial plant with a thin rhizome up to 2 cm thick. Leaves linear-sword-shaped up to 45 cm long, often falcate, narrowed to an acute tip at the ends. By winter the leaves die back, which is why the species was named leafless. The flowering stem branches from the base, up to 50 cm high, usually bears 3-5 brightly violet flowers up to 7 cm in diameter. The bases of the flowers are covered by strongly inflated, leathery bracts. The perianth is regular, with a small tube and a six-part limb. On the outer slightly incurved segments there are white, yellow, or lilac "beards" made of numerous hairs. Flowers in late spring - early summer. Fruit a cylindrical capsule. Winter-hardy.

Known in cultivation for over 400 years. Successfully grown in temperate zones up to Kirovsk inclusive. Easily hybridizes with other bearded iris species. Leafless iris has been used in creating a large group of cultivars of the Black Forest type and others representing the Intermedia group, i.e., medium-sized cultivated forms of the bearded iris. Many I. hybrida hort. cultivars in the north are damaged by frost due to prolonged vegetation. In breeding, the characteristic of I. aphylla to finish vegetation in time should be used. Some forms are characterized by repeat flowering (remontancy).

Within its range it produces a large number of forms differing in leaf size, characteristics of flowering stem branching, and the size and color of the capsules. In Moldova there are forms with capsules of a bright reddish-violet color.