These irises are usually used in damp places and bog gardens, but they grow well also in drier places. They make robust clumps of long, narrow leaves, and the stems of narrow-petalled flowers stand up well above the foliage. There are just a few species, but many selected varieties.

Iris delavayi is the largest of the species in this group, and this is an outstanding form, robust, up to 2 metres tall, with large, deep purple flowers, quickly forming a good clump of strong shoots.