Iris foetidissima, commonly named, Gladwin Iris, is a perennial that can reach 1.5 feet tall and 12-18 inches in spread. It is native to Western and Mediterranean Europe. Good for open woodland gardens and shade gardens. This majestic perennial has a long season of varied interest for herbaceous borders. The flowers are consisting of 3 sepals and 3 petals. In early Summer, tall stems, 10-24" tall, emerge from clumps of bold green foliage and each bears up to five 3 inch blooms of deep purple tinged with yellow. The scented flowers are hermaphrodite, they have both male and female organs. The plant is self-fertile. The dark green sword-shaped linear leaves to 24" long and 1" wide are evergreen in warm Winter climates. The plant spreads by means of its modified stems, rhizomes, which are located below the soil surface. It is perhaps grown more for its attractive coral seed clusters than for its flowers. Flowers are followed by seed capsules which mature over the Summer and split open in early Fall to reveal stringy clusters of bead-like, bright orange-red seeds which are extremely showy and persistent, often remaining in the open pods on the plants well into Winter. Seed stalks are valued for dried flower arrangements. Hardiness zones 6-9, (-22øC/-5øF, -5øC/25øF) in Winter. The evergreen leaves are not very hardy, being killed back by cold winds around -15øC, though the rootstock is much hardier and the plant soon recovers in Spring. It can grow in full shade or no shade. A good ground cover plant, succeeding in dense shade. Best grown in moist, well-drained soils. Established plants tolerate some dry conditions. Iris foetidissima can grow in about any well-drained soil.