Stellenbosch University Botanical Garden, South Africa

Common name: Butterfly flower, Fringed iris

Family: Iridaceae (Iris)

Distribution: China, Japan

IUCN Red list: Not evaluated

Life form: Geophyte (bulb, corm or tuber - seasonally dormant)

Comments: In Japan, this iris used to be planted on the slopes of hills around castles, where the slippery leaves of the iris used to slow invaders. The botanical artist Pierre-Joseph Redouté included a painting of this iris in his Choix des plus belles Fleurs (translation: 'Selection of the most beautiful flowers') (1827-1833) as a tribute to this plant. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental, as outdoor plant in sheltered areas or in cool greenhouses. In Chinese herbal medicine, the rhizome is used to treat injuries, and a decoction of the plant is used against bronchitis, rheumatism and internal injuries.