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 typhifolia is a species from northern China and Mongolia, where it is found in wet areas near lakes. It has long, narrow, twisted leaves (the name means that it has leaves like a bullrush - or cat-tail to an American), and large, deep violet flowers.