It has flowers which range from white to a soft lavender or pale blue in colour, with orange-yellow crests and purple dots.

[9][15][16] Unlike, most irises, the foliage is held at the top of the bamboo-like stems, rather than basally,[3][7][17] so it looks more like a palm.

[4] The sword-shaped,[7][8][18] or strap-shaped,[13][14] leaves are yellowish-green,[7][8] to bright green,[9] glossy on the upper side,[10][18][19] and glaucous on the underside.

[7] The stems can lie along the ground (after flowering) and can eventually produce roots, creating larger clumps of this plant.

[12][17] The flowers are 4–5.5 cm (2–2 in) in diameter,[6][7][10] and come in shades of soft lavender,[6][9][14] to pale blue, to white.

[4][7][10] It has pale blue style branches, 2 cm long and 8mm wide, which have fringed lobes.

[29] In 1911, William Rickatson Dykes obtained seeds from French missionary François Ducloux [fr] (1864–1945),[32] who had found specimens of the iris in Yunnan.

[5][12][33] Between 1924 and 1926, Otto Stapf of Kew re-examined the specimens and concluded that they were more similar to Iris japonica.

[5][16][29] It grows beside forests (and woods),[8][10][19] in open groves,[8] on hillside grasslands (and meadows),[8][10][19] and in ditches.

[11] In Britain (and some parts of Europe),[10] it is classed as Tender, so it can be grown in a pot and then over-winter in a cool greenhouse.

[14][17][23] It prefers sites out of strong winds due to the height of the plant and delicate flowers.

[17] It has average water needs during the growing season,[10][14][2] but wet or damp conditions during the winter may cause the root to rot.

[14][22] Due to its shallow roots, the iris prefers a mulch of peat, well-decayed leaf mould or similar.

[10][14] In cultivation, the stems and dead leaves are removed after flowering to keep the plant tidy and help it for next year's growth.

[12] It is found in specialised iris nurseries,[6] and plants can be seen growing within the temperate house at Kew.

If the cuttings are immersed in water for between 1–2 weeks, the roots will soon emerge and the new plant can be potted and prepared for the garden later.

[2] It has several named cultivars, including:[33] Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting.

[10][20] Within the province of Guangxi, the Kam people of 'Gaoxiu Village', use the leaves (of the iris) for healing broken bones and sprains.

The leaves are macerated and applied as a poultice, with a splint for supporting and immobilizing the affected area of the body.