It has straight, sword-shaped, glaucous leaves, tall, thick stem with up 2 short branches, which hold 2–3 flowers, which can be white, cream or pale blue, lilac, lavender or blue-purple.

[5][7][10]: 32 In the centre of the fall, is a dense, narrow,[4] white beard of hairs, tipped with yellow.

[3] It has style branch that is 5 cm long,[2][3] with an entire stigma,[2][4] and large and triangular crests.

[2][4] In 1956, a karyotype analysis was carried out on 40 species of Iris, belonging to the subgenera Eupogoniris and Pogoniris.

It found that 24-chromosome tall bearded species could e divided into 3 karyotypes of Iris pallida.

[21] In 2008, a chemical study was carried out on the rhizomes of Iris kashmiriana led to the isolation of three isoflavones characterized as (4'-hydroxy-8-methoxy-6,7-methylenedioxyisoflavone) 'isonigricin', (5,6-dihydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyisoflavone) 'isoirisolidone', and (5,7-dihydroxy-4',6-dimethoxyisoflavone) 'irisolidone'.

[22] In June 2012, a phytochemical study was carried out on 5 iris species growing in Kashmir, India.

[23] In December 2012, an evaluation study was carried out on the isoflavones ('isonigricin' and 'isoirisolidone'), isolated from the rhizomes of Iris kashmiriana, when used on T-lymphocytes and T-cell cytokines.

[24] In July 2013, a study was carried out of the use of methanolic extracts from the rhizomes of Iris kashmiriana to be used on epithelial cancerous tumors and other inflammatory diseases.

[9] It is difficult to keep growing in the UK, due to the fact that the rhizomes do not get high temperatures during the summer,[7] also it does not like damp winters.

[43] In India, it grows in gardens,[2][10]: 32 [42] on the earth daubed roofs of houses,[27] (similar to Iris tectorum in Japan).

[8] On 5 July 1889, specimens of the iris were collected from near to the town of 'Erzinghan', in Turkey, for the Museum Natural History, Paris.

[4][45] In flower arrangements, the average vase life of stems and flowers stored under dry conditions at 5 °C was about 7 and 10 days in distilled water and sucrose, respectively, whereas the wet stored stems at 5 °C exhibited a vase life of about 8 and 11 days, respectively.

[9] Mr Foster was uncertain of the parentage of the cross producing 'Kashmir White' and 'Miss Wilmott', but he thought that Iris kashmiriana was a parent.

[6] ¼ Iris kashmiriana crosses include; 'Angkhor Vat', 'Argentina', 'Azulado', 'Blanche', 'Emily Pyke', 'Kalif', 'Leopardi', 'Lucero', 'Marion Mohr', 'Metauro', 'Micheline Charraire', 'Mt.

[6] Like many other irises, most parts of the plant are poisonous (rhizome and leaves), and if mistakenly ingested can cause stomach pains and vomiting.

[29] The rhizome is peeled and dried,[citation needed] then it is grind into powder and can be mixed with oil to make a paste.

[29][30] In the Bandipora area, the dried rhizome was used to treat eczma and respiratory problems.

[citation needed] It was also used to treat asthma, cancer, inflammation, liver and uterine diseases.

[25] It is medically important due to the pharmacologically active compounds (within the rhizome) including quinones, triterpenoids, flavonoids, isoflavonoids and stilbene glycosides.

[citation needed] Also, farmers of Jammu and Kashmir serve grinded Iris kashmiriana and jaggery to enhance milk yield.

[49] It is also a natural antiparasitic, in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activities of methanol and aqueous extracts of Iris kashmiriana rhizome were used against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep, such as Haemonchus contortus.

[28] The organic matter digestibility and chemical composition of livestock fodder growing in the Kashmir valley, India have been tabulated.

Other species used also include: Phragmites australis, Nymphoides peltata, Echinochloa crus-galli, Cyperus rotundus, Panicum antidotale and Iris kashmiriana.

[30] In Iran and Kashmir,[5] the plant and Iris germanica,[14] are most commonly grown on Muslim[8] grave yards.