It is a rhizomatous perennial, from central Asia, with pale blue or violet flowers.

Iris lactea has a thick creeping rhizome,[2][3] that is covered in reddish purple fibres.

[2][4][5] The flowers come in a range of shades from pale blue to violet,[3][9] white[7][11] or yellow.

[2][4][5] It has dark standards, delicate white falls, which are striated with blue, red-purple[8] or violet.

[4][5][6] The leaves are linear, mostly ribbed, greyish green, rising from the base of the plant.

[2][4][5] It fruits (makes seeds) between June and September (after flowering), the seed capsule is narrow and cylindrical in shape, with 6 ribs running along the side of the capsule, which ends in a beak-like point.

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

[17] The Latin specific epithet Lactea means milky color,[10] hence the common name 'milky iris'.

[16] It is found in Afghanistan, Kashmir (including Guraiz and Himachal Pradesh),[4][6] Kazakhstan, Central Asia, India (including Ladakh),[4] Pakistan,[4] Russia (in Siberia[3] and Primorye[2]), Tibet, China, Mongolia and Korea.

[7][8][11] In China, it is found within the Chinese provinces of Anhui, Gansu, Hebei, Heilongjiang, Henan, Hubei, Jiangsu, Jilin, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan,[13] Xinjiang and Xi-zang (Chinese Tibet).

[21] Since Iris lactea, is one of the most common wild irises across all of China, living it a diverse range of habitats.

The following is a list of named variations botanical and horticultural: Iris lactea has been used in hybridization for the selection of dwarf bearded irises.

[24] The leaves are used as fodder for animals, and for thatching, matting and basket work,[2][4] and its leaf fibres are also used in paper making and for brushes.

The consumption of the flowers and seeds is thought to increase a cow's milk yield.