Society for Japanese Iris

About Society for Japanese Iris

Welcome to the Society for Japanese Iris! We are a community of Japanese Iris enthusiasts dedicated to cultivating, hybridizing, and promoting the Japanese iris. Our society includes members from around the world.

Native to Japan, Iris ensata (Japanese Iris) are the last iris to bloom, generally several weeks after tall bearded iris (late June or early July). They tend to be tall (3 to 4 feet) with large, colorful flowers (up to 10 inches in diameter). Their Cultural window is narrow, however if met the Japanese iris will be the show piece of your garden.

The SJI is a section of the American Iris Society. Members convene for an annual meeting as part of each AIS National Convention. Every three years, we come together at our own iris convention for fellowship and to focus on current Japanese iris hybridizing. Our 2017 convention was held in Seattle, Washington. Look for our next convention that will be held near Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2020. All Conventions are open to the general public with registration, check our events page for updates and information.