Iris hoogiana

Iris hoogiana has a stout,[2][3][4] or thick rhizome[5] that produces many long, slender, fleshy secondary stolons,[6] which travel through the ground searching for minerals to feed the plant.

[2][10] When the plant is dormant (in autumn and winter), it is very similar in form to Iris stolonifera.

[5][14][15] They come in shades of blue,[14][20][21] from sky-blue,[13] mid-blue,[12] grey-blue,[9][17][22] lilac-blue,[3][5][15] lavender,[4][7][10] to blue-purple,[9] or lilac violet.

[2][4][6] It has a 2.5 cm long perianth tube,[2][4][5] which is green with a purple tinge.

[2] It has semi-ovate,[6] or triangular crests,[2] and long anthers, with white,[6] or cream coloured pollen.

[4] After the iris has flowered, in May,[2] it produces a long and narrow seed capsule,[2][4][6] which is pointed at the tip.

[24] In 2001, a chemical extraction study was carried out on the rhizomes of Iris hoogiana.

[25] As most irises are diploid, having two sets of chromosomes, this can be used to identify hybrids and classification of groupings.

[29][30] The Latin specific epithet hoogiana refers to the Dutch nursery men, 'Hoog'.

[7][31] Hoog, was one of 2 brothers, who manage the bulb nursery of 'Van Tubergen', based in Haarlem.

[9] They were the nephews of the nursery founder, Cornelis Gerrit van Tubergen (1844–1919).

[26][28] It is found in the former USSR republic,[2][5] of Turkestan,[18][23][26] Tajikistan,[7][28] and Uzbekistan[7][28] One source also mentions Kazakhstan.

[7] The iris is located within the Pamir Alay mountains,[2][5] and Varzob River valley in Dushanbe,[4] of Tajikistan.

[11] It is also hardy to Zone H3 in Europe,[5] including the UK,[14] if the iris position is sheltered.

[4] It is hardy in parts of USSR, including regions around Leningrad, although it still prefers the shelter of shrubs or trees.

[7] If the plants are long exposed to moisture they are prone to viral diseases.

[29] In his garden in Surrey, William Dykes had up to 100 specimens of Iris hoogiana, in open-sided frames.

[23] The rhizome should be planted at a depth of 2 inches,[10] to protect against winds,[13] in October.

[5][34] Known Iris hoogiana cultivars include: Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), and if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting.

Curtis's Botanical Magazine , London, vol. 146 (Series. 4, vol. 16) Tab. 8844 in 1920
Seen in the Jardin des Plantes in Paris