This group of irises includes both tall and short plants, with flowers in a bewildering range of colours, all with the distinctive 'beard' on the falls. They include the so-called German irises. They have rhizomes that lie close to or on the surface of the soil, and like to be baked in summer.

Iris schachtii is a dwarf bearded species from Turkey, with grey-green leaves and a branched flower spike with several large flowers, pale yellow to pale violet, rarely light brown, purple or pale blue.