North Shore Plant Club
Tennessee White Crested Iris (Iris cristata 'Tennessee White')
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| Deciduous Perennial in the Iridaceae Family | |
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Iris cristata, commonly called the crested iris or dwarf crested iris, is a delightful native wildflower species that is a member of the Iridaceae family. Here are the key features of Iris cristata: Foliage: The plant forms a low clump of narrow, grasslike green leaves that typically grow 6-12 inches tall. Flowers: In early to mid spring, the crested iris produces beautiful, small flowers that are usually blue-violet in color. Each bloom has three upright "standards" and three hanging "falls" with a distinctive crest or ridge down the center. Growth Habit: This iris is a rhizomatous perennial that spreads slowly to form colonies over time. Mature clumps are usually 6-12 inches tall and wide. Cultural Needs: Iris cristata prefers partial shade and moist, well-drained, acidic soils. It is adaptable to a range of soil types but does not tolerate full sun or dry conditions. Native Habitat: In the wild, the crested iris is found growing in damp, wooded areas and along streambanks throughout the eastern United States. Landscape Use: This diminutive iris makes an excellent groundcover, edging plant, or accent in woodland gardens, shade gardens, and native plant beds. It also works well in rock gardens. Wildlife Value: The nectar-rich flowers of the crested iris attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. The foliage also provides cover for small wildlife. Overall, Iris cristata is a delightful native that offers early spring color, a unique flower form, and excellent adaptability to shady, moist garden conditions. Its small stature and spreading habit make it well-suited for a variety of landscape applications. |
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Plant Data | |
| Mature Size | 6 - 9 inches tall. 6 - 12 inches wide. |
| Sun Exposure | Partial Shade - Full Sun |
| Moisture Tolerance | Medium |
| Zones | 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F) |
| Tags | Deciduous, Full Sun, Medium, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial |
| Bloom Period | April |
| Foliage Color |
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Pricing and Availability HistoryClick a label to toggle visibility for that size
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We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!
Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.
Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.
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Membership is free, but — since we rely on delivery and local pick-up — you have to live near one of our hubs (or be willing to drive to a site to pick them up). If you live farther away, and would like to help us bring the club to your neighbors, please email helpusgrow@northshoreplantclub.com.
To secure the best prices for club members and make sure we know the current plants available from each nursery, we take orders only a couple of times a month.
Shoot us an email at help@northshoreplantclub.com, and we'll be happy to talk about plants or let you know when it's time to buy them!
We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.
Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!