-LRIS comes from the Greek word 
meaning rainbow. It is suitably named, for the 
combination of color in many of the species 
often suggests a beautiful rainbow. Geographic¬ 
ally, the original locations of the iris are the 
Orient, particularly China, central and southern 
Europe. Nevertheless, the foreign species are 
completely at home in the American continent 
and have acclimated themselves as thoroughly 
as any native plant. Since most species of the 
iris bloom in June, borders of iris provide the 
most interesting and effective culmination of 
bloom following the spring bulbs, the earliest 
irises combining artistically and charmingly 
with the last of the tulips. There are few 
flowers that produce so profusely for so little 
care and effort. For this reason, the iris is com¬ 
mon in farm-gardens and is seen growing abun¬ 
dantly around the porches of the house, bursting 
forth in its purple, blue, glorious yellow and 
white blossoms as the spring advances. Fleur- 
de-lis is the French name for iris and means 
flower of the lily. It is the conventionalized 
form of white iris which, in the twelfth century, 
was adopted by France as the royal emblem. 
The earlier royal standards had many irises 
upon them, but Charles V limited them to three, 
in honor of the Trinity. But according to an 
early legend, the use of the iris goes back to the 
early part of the sixth century. The legend 
tells how Clovis, King of the Franks and con¬ 
queror of Gaul, had three black toads for his 
coat-of-arms. After engaging in many wars 
the toads on his shield were badly shattered and 
he began to fear that the enemy sword would 
some day pass through them and wound him. 
But one day, however, an angel appeared to a 
holy hermit, bearing a blue shield that shone 
like the sun, with three iris flowers painted 
upon it, and he told the hermit that Clovis 
should use the heavenly shield. Taking the 
shield, the hermit went to Queen Clotilde and 
told her of its heavenly origin, and when King 
Clovis heard the story he removed the toads 
from his armor and from then on used the angel’s 
shield in battle and his armies were victorious 
in every field. Upon the ruins of the Roman 
Empire, Clovis built up a powerful system that 
dominated European civilization for many 
centuries and from which sprang France, Ger¬ 
many, Belgium, Holland and Switzerland. Thus, 
France, inheriting not only the valor and fame 
of Clovis but his shield as well, adopted 
the iris as the royal emblem. 
