Irises

Care Tips:

A bouquet of iris makes a stunning gift and an affordable every day indulgence.

Iris are exotic blooms with graceful petals unfolding in jewel tones of amethyst, citron, and pure white. They add an exotic touch to bouquets, centerpieces, and corsages.

With the right care, iris should last for 5 to 7 days. Upon arriving home, follow a few simple steps to get the most out of your blooms:

1. When you get home, stand the wrapped flowers in water so they can get a good drink while you’re getting the vase ready.
2. Fill a vase with water and allow it to come to room temperature. If you are using floral foam, let it soak until it is fully saturated and sinks to the bottom.
3. Add a packet of flower food to extend bloom life. If you don’t have flower food, dissolve half a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of lemon juice, and a few drops of bleach in 4 cups of water to create a home-made substitute.
4. Slant cut the stems to the desired length. Flower stems naturally begin to seal their ends, so cutting them helps the flower to take in fresh clean water and extends their vase life. The shorter the stem the more water will feed the bloom.

In Greek mythology the goddess Iris was the messenger of the gods.

5. Remove any leaves that will be submerged as these will rot over time
6. Arrange stems to your liking, varying the height and position. Add other flowers to the arrangement once all the iris are positioned.
7. Iris are thirsty flowers, so check the water frequently and add fresh water to fill the vase.
8. Change the water if it starts looking cloudy, rinse the stems clean. You may also want to recut the stems under water to help the flower uptake water.

About Iris:

With three soft, fluttering inner petals, iris have come to symbolize the three virtues of wisdom, faith and valor. They’ve adorned medieval flags and coats of arms for countless countries and are still the national symbol of France, the city emblem of Florence, Italy, and the Tennessee state flower.

The word iris means rainbow in Greek, perfectly fitting for a flower that comes in a wide variety of colors ranging from white, yellow, and pink to blue and deep purple. The various bloom colors each convey different meanings that add layers of sentiment into a gift or event.

A simple arrangement of purple iris and yellow daffodils will brighten your day.

- Blue symbolizes hope and faith

- Yellow represents passion

- White conveys purity

- Purple denotes wisdom and compliments

- Pink expresses admiration and cherished friendship

Iris were the favorite flower of Impressionist painter Claude Monet, and were featured in his Water Lily Pond with Iris series of painting. They were also an inspiration to post-Impressionist artist Vincent Van Gogh who painted one of his most famous paintings in 1889 entitled Les Iris.

Inspiration:

With their intricate shape, iridescent colors, and upright stems, iris are anything but wallflowers. A dozen iris in a silver or glass vase will attract attention in any room.

Available year-round they can transition from spring and summer into fall and winter, just by changing the flowers they are paired with. Try some of our favorite flowers arrangements or create your own, mixing textures, blooms sizes, colors, and fragrance.

Spring:

Combine yellow iris with orange tulips and pink peonies for a cheerful spring display. Try purple iris with yellow daffodils for a simple arrangement that will brighten your day. Create a fragrant arrangement in monochromatic hues with purple iris, lavender lilacs, and mauve tulips.

Summer:

Cool blue iris and blush pink roses evoke seaside cabanas and summer garden parties.

With three outer petals, iris have come to symbolize wisdom, faith, and valor.

Fall:

Yellow iris, bold sunflowers, and burnt orange mums bring the warm colors of fall indoors.

Winter:

Deep purple iris surround by moss and winter branches creates a stunning holiday centerpiece.

Romantic:

Wrap lavender iris, purple carnations, and statis stems with green ribbon for a romantic bouquet.

Elegant:

Combine white roses, iris, and lilies with magnolia leaves in a tall silver vase add for understated elegance.

Patriotic:

Blue iris, red roses, and white calla lilies celebrate the stars and stripes.

Select iris in the bud stage to maximize vase life.