Although people mainly associate irises with the beauty they impart to gardens and landscapes, we have also long valued them for their medicinal properties and other uses.
For instance, in the first century CE, Greek physician Dioscorides described iris rhizomes as useful for a wide range of purposes, from fading freckles and treating ulcers to inducing sleep. Native American tribes have traditionally used iris fibers for rope in fishing nets and snares.
In the latest issue of the Arboretum Bulletin, the Miller Library’s Rebecca Alexander writes about the many uses of irises.
PHOTO: Iris tenax, native to Washington State. (Courtesy USFWS)
