The winter blooming Iris or grass Iris makes us smile as the intense purple/blue flowers with intricate yellow and white markings appear sporadically from November to spring. Grassy upright green foliage offers some weather protection for the flowers which come off and on in mild stretches. Not over the top showy but the individual flowers are stunning at a time of the year when stunning is in short order. Spreads to form evergreen colonies in full sun and well drained soil. Little supplemental water once established. High deer resistance. Long, long lived perennial persisting in old gardens for decades. Place it where you can see it in the winter. Near an entrance for example Mediterranean.
Iris unguicularis
Plant type: Herbaceous perennial
Biomes/Growing conditions: Deer Resistance, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast
Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color: Mid Green
Foliage season: Evergreen