Daily Mail

Plantofthe­week

ROAST BEEF PLANT, IRIS FOETIDISSI­MA

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ALMOST everyone knows our native yellow flag iris, common near ponds or rivers. But there’s a more unusual evergreen species — Iris foetidissi­ma. The Latin translates as ‘smelliest iris’, hence the colloquial name stinking iris or, curiously, roast beef plant. It grows in dry woodland, especially in chalk or limestone areas. The early summer flowers are purpleblue or cream-yellow. The big show comes in winter. That’s when the seeds dry, split and turn vivid orange. These are lovely for dry indoor arrangemen­ts. Seed is the best way to propagate, either by scattering onto shady soil or sowing in pots.

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