Iris bakeriana

This little beauty is one of the rarest plants that I grow. Closely related to the commonly grown Iris reticulata, this one differs in having round leaves (you'll find the common dwarf iris have angular leaves.) All plants offered in the trade under this name are imposters, usually hybrids of Iris reticulata.

It came to me as Iris reticulata seed collected in Iran. Only as it grew did it become apparent that this was the fabled Iris bakeriana. The flowers have distinctive and delicate markings beneath.

The few bulbs I have are survivors from a larger potful that suffered in the deep freeze at the end of 2010.