I. Bearded Iris :
Are identified by thick bushy hairs on upper part of the
falls. Within the bearded group the American Iris Society has designated different categories of Iris based on stem height and season of bloom.

Miniature Dwarf Bearded or MDB smallest of the bearded iris. No taller than 8" Flowers 1.6" - 3" wide. First to bloom in spring May .
Standard Dwarf Bearded or SDB Between 8-16" tall. Flowers 4" wide. Bloom season May to June
Intermediate Bearded or IB Vary in height from 16" to 27.5". Flowers 3.5 to 5 ". Bloom season mid to late May and on into June
Miniature Tall Bearded or MTB also known as table irises Between 16" to 27.5" tall. Flowers not more than 6" in combined height and width. Bloom May to June. In all aspects the plant it is dainty.
Border Bearded or BB Between 16" to 27.5" tall. Flowers 5" to 8.5". Blooms with the TBs in late May to June Being shorter than TB they go well in front border and are more resistant to wind and rain damage.
Tall Bearded or TB 27.5" in height.; many varieties produce stalks of at least 38" to 42". Blooms should be considerably larger than the BB and IBs Bloom mid May to late June. These are the gorgeous queens of the Iris world, with magnificent 6 to 7 inch blooms. These showy flowers are available in every color of the spectrum and proudly display themselves on branched stems carrying up to 12 buds each. Their later blooming flowers are the most popular of the Bearded Iris group.

II. Aril Irises
(AR) Two very different types of irises are grouped together under the term "aril". These are the oncocyclus and regelia irises. The arils are difficult to grow in all but the warmest and driest regions. Hybrids were produced from crossing the arils with the more common bearded irises. These are called arilbreds" (AB), and are usually very easy to grow and still display the spectacular features of the arils They bloom earlier than the TBs, with the SDBs and the IBs.

III. Beardless Irises
This is the largest and most diverse group of Iris It is is characterized by the conspicuous absence of a beard on their petals. This group contains literally hundreds of different Iris species.
The first four types bloom after the TBs. The PCN blooms before the TBs

1. Spurias (SPU) 2 to 5 ' tall ' The shape of the bloom often suggests orchids.
2. Siberians (SIB) These Iris, contrary to their name, are not necessarily native to Siberia. They are certainly very cold hardy, vigorous and relatively maintenance-free. Flowers are 4 to 5 inches wide on stems ranging from 2 to 4 feet tall.
3. Japanese (JA) require a slightly acid soil. Spectacular flowers. They bloom about a month after the TBs.
4. Louisianas (LA) are native to the American Gulf Coast; they require soil that is somewhat acid and wet in the spring.
5. Pacific Coast Natives (PCN), or Californicae (CA). Where they can become established, they grow most attractively with graceful and dainty flowers held one to two feet high, in most colors and patterns.
6. Species often enhance gardens with their delicate beauty. I. confusa (Evansia) requires conditions similar to azaleas in a frost free climate. I. missouriensis enjoys wet springs and dry summers.

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