In Ancient Egypt the iris signified eloquence and was carved in the foreheads of revered sphinx statues. The name iris derives from the Greek word for rainbow. In ancient Greek mythology, Iris was goddess of the rainbow. According to legends it its Iris who guides the souls of departed women to the next realm. Approximately 1500 species of iris flourish in temperate and tropical regions.
Irises grow from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms.
In spring, narrow basal leaves emerge. Among the American Indians, iris enjoyed widespread use as a medicine. A report issued at Albany in 1749 tells of Indians using iris root as a remedy for leg sores. They would wash the root, boil it a little, then crush it between two stones. The crushed root was applied as a poultice to the sores.