Rhizomes branching, forming extensive clumps, 1.5–2 cm diam., smooth except for narrow leaf scars that completely encircle rhizome. Stems 1–3-branched, 6–10 dm. Leaves erect to spreading, blade green (some forms with white or yellow longitudinal stripes), ensiform, 3–6 dm × 3–4 cm, very glaucous, smooth. Inflorescences with terminal unit 3-flowered, branch units 2–3-flowered; distal branches subtended by scarious bracts, lower one to 15 cm, herbaceous, green; spathes completely silvery white, 2–3.5 cm, scarious. Flowers often very fragrant; perianth light blue-violet to mauve-purple, one form with blue pigment limited as stipples or stitches along margin and/or along veins, with ground color white on both petals and sepals; floral tube 1–1.3 cm; sepals slightly reflexed, obovate, 7.8–8.3 × 5–5.3 cm, with wedge-shaped claw marked with brown veins, beard yellow with white tips; petals blue-violet, in some forms lighter than sepals, with some brown veining at base and on claw, obovate, 8 × 5 cm; ovary trigonal, 6-grooved, 1–1.5 cm; style violet, fading paler along margins, keeled along midrib, 2–2.4 × 1 cm, crests rounded, 1.4 cm, apex acute; stigmas rounded, margins entire; pedicel very short, 2–3 mm. Capsules borne on ends of stems and branches, oblong, trigonal, 6-grooved, 4–5 × 1.5–2 cm. Seeds in 2 rows per locule, dark brown, compressed, cubical, wrinkled. 2n = 24.
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A fleshy stemmed iris. It grows 90-120 cm high and spreads 30 cm wide. The leaves are stiff and sword like. They are bluish-green. They are thick and have fine ribs. The flowers are large and fragrant. They are blue with yellow beards.
Can be grown by divisions or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
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