Iris cristata

 Sizes available: 1 quart

Basics: zones 4-9, 4-9" x 18", part sun to part shade (maybe more shade), purple blooms in mid spring (occasionally white), wants well-draining soil and has some drought tolerance

Common names: Dwarf Crested Iris

Family: Iridaceae

Origin/Distribution: Pennsylvania to Georgia and west to eastern Oklahoma

Habitat: upland woods, rocky wooded slopes, bluffs, and sandy stream banks

More: A miniature iris for your woodland gardens, will spread by rhizome if happy. The short sword-shaped leaves are attractive even after bloom and work well with other little ground-covery bits.

Nursery: Van Berkum

Image credit: Wikimedia Commons