The bearded iris gets it name from the "beard" found toward the back of the lower petals. Made up of short hairs, it looks very much like a long, furry catapillar; its purpose is to guide pollinating insects toward the reproductive parts of the plant.
There are many accounts of how the iris came by its name. All agree thats its origins lie in Greek mythology and that it is named after the Rainbow Goddess, Iride or Iris. All the tales are wonderfully romantic, but they differ slightly in detail. The most commonly told explains how Iris, the messenger of the gods, scattered fields full of irises with the colours of the rainbow as she passed messages between heaven and earth.
The city of Florence depicted the iris on its coins, and in medieval times the iris also found its way into the royal coats of arms of France and England, in the form of fleur-de-lis.
Ancient Minoans painted irises on their walls of great buildings, Egyptians in their temples and the Taj Mahal has carved Iris Pillars.
The great impressionist painter Monet grew irises and used them many times in his paintings.
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"Mustardseed and Moonshine is the best company I learned a lot and I cant wait to learn more" -Vuyokazi Nqayi
