Iridaceae

Stinking iris

Iris foetidissima L.

Family: Iridaceae
Genus: Iris

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Stinking iris (Iris foetidissima) — FlowerPhoto: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist

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Common names

By language (13)

Arabic: سوسن منتن
Asturian: Fueya'l bregón
Basque: Melira
Bulgarian: Миризлив ирис
Chinese: 怪味鸢尾
Dutch: Stinkende lis
English: Stinking iris
French: Glaïeul puant
German: Übelriechende Schwertlilie, Koralleniris, Stinkende Iris
Irish: Glóiriam
Russian: Ирис вонючий
Spanish: Efemero, Efémero, Espadana hedionda, Espadaña hedionda, Espatula fetida, Espatula fétida, Espátula fetida, Espátula fétida
Welsh: Gellesgen ddrewllyd

Synonyms

Chamaeiris foetida Medik.
Chamaeiris foetidissima (L.) Medik.
Iris foetida J.P.Bergeret
Iris foetida Thunb.
Iris foetidissima var. citrina Bromf.
Iris foetidissima var. flavescens DC.
Iris foetidissima var. livida Maire
Iris foetidissima var. lutescens Maire
Iris gaditana Pau
Spathula foetidissima (L.) Fourr.
Xiphion foetidissimum (L.) Parl.
Xyridion foetidissimum (L.) Klatt

Flowers

In flower: May to June, October to December (from 589 flowering iNaturalist observations worldwide)

Characteristics

Growth habit: Forb/herb
Lifespan: Perennial
In the US and Canada: Canada: introduced, Lower 48 states: introduced

Photos

FlowerPhoto: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Leon Perrie, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Nathan Odgers, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
FlowerPhoto: Jon Sullivan, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Paul Hermans, CC BY-SA 3.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Iratze Martinez, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: APictche, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Didier Oms, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
Photo: zebedeugalinha, CC BY 4.0, from iNaturalist
Photo: Mathieu Menand, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons
Photo: carolinehand24, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF

More in Iris

Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.