Herb: Bowltube Iris


Latin name: Iris macrosiphon


Synonyms: Iris amabilis, Iris californica


Family: Iridaceae (Iris Family)



Medicinal use of Bowltube Iris:

The roots are used to hasten the birth of a child.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
15 cm
(6 inches)

Flowering:
May to
June

Habitat of the herb:

Sunny grassy to woodland slopes below 1000 metres in California.

Other uses of Bowltube Iris:

A fibre is obtained from the leaves. Traditionally the N. American Indians would take just the one outside fibre from each side of a leaf. This must have necessitated using a huge number of leaves. It makes a beautifully strong and pliable cord or rope. The fibre can also be used for making paper The leaves are harvested in summer after the plant has flowered, they are scraped to remove the outer skin and are then soaked in water for 2 hours prior to cooking. The fibres are cooked for 24 hours with lye and then beaten in a ball mill for 3 hours. They make a light tan paper.

Propagation of the herb:

Seed - best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed should be sown as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first year. Plant out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division, best done after flowering. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation of Bowltube Iris:

Sunny grassy to woodland slopes below 1000 metres in California.

Known hazards of Iris macrosiphon:

Many plants in this genus are thought to be poisonous if ingested, so caution is advised. The roots are especially likely to be toxic. Plants can cause skin irritations and allergies in some people.

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.