My first knowledge of the dwarf Iris odaesanensis was during our 1997 Korean expedition when Darrell Probst spotted it growing near it’s namesake, Mt. Odae. This small, 8″ long, acorus-like foliaged plant prefers slightly moist soils, but is amazingly drought-tolerant. Iris odaesanensis spreads nicely to create a 2-4′ wide grass-like mat of foliage in 5 years (depending on soil moisture) that remains evergreen in milder climates. A patch of Iris odaesanensis is topped in early spring with lovely, 2″ wide, small white hummingbird-attracting flowers, each composed of three large and three small petals, the larger ones highlighted with a light brown blotch…a very high cute quotient.
