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| Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc. |
| Family: Iridaceae (Irises) |
| Origin: Garden Origin |
| Flower Color: White |
| Bloomtime: Winter/Spring |
| Synonyms: [Iris japonica, Hort] |
| Parentage: (I. japonica x I. wattii or confusa) |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 1-2 feet |
| Exposure: Cool Sun/Light Shade |
| Deer Tolerant: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: <15° F |
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Iris 'Nada' (Butterfly Iris) - This is a beautiful evergreen plant that can form large open clumps in California gardens. It has fans of 2 inch wide by 18 inch long medium green leaves that arise from slender rhizomes and gracefully arch back towards the ground. In late winter through mid-spring (Feb-May) appear the 2 foot tall intricately branched flower stems bearing 25 to 50 delicate nearly-white flowers. The 2 1/2 to 3 inch wide flowers are a very pale lavender color with purple spots and large golden-yellow markings on the crests of the fall petals. There are no markings on the smaller flattened bifidly-divided banner petals, and petaloid styles that are lavender and lie flat from the base are nearly white where they rise up and are dissected at the tips. Plant in cool, moist soil in filtered shade inland, morning sun along the coast. Hardy to about 20° F and can be moved indoors to protect from frost in cooler climates. Snails seem to like this plant so protection is required to maintain the attractive foliage. This iris was hybridized by renowned southern California nurseryman Jimmy Giridlian in the early 1950's. It is a great plant that not only persists in the garden but increases to form large stands. It is sometimes labeled as a selection of Iris japonica but Giridlian noted in his 1952 Oakhurst Gardens catalog that it was a hybrid between Iris wattii and I. japonica. That it has become a garden favorite can be attested by its mention in Victoria Padilla's book Southern California Gardens (1961) where she writes "One of his [Giridlian] earliest introductions was an iris cross that he called 'Nada' which, because of its evergreen foliage and dainty orchid like quality of its numerous flowers, has become one of the most popular iris of its kind in California and in the southern states." We have sold this plant ever since first receiving it in 1988 from Daryll Combs of Daryll's Exotic Plants in Carpinteria, CA. Though this plant propagates well from division we were never able to keep up with demand until contracting a tissue culture laboratory to micro-propagate it in 2006 and now we have this wonderful plant in abundance.
Information displayed on this page about Iris 'Nada' is based on the research conducted about it in our library and from reliable online resources. We also note those observations we have made of this plant as it grows in the nursery's garden and in other gardens, as well how crops have performed in our nursery field. We will incorporate comments we receive from others, and welcome to hear from anyone who may have additional information, particularly if they share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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