Plant ID, a purple iris like flax plant

jodie-mike, Oct 28, 9:26pm
Hi,
Can someone please try and id this plant from the following description:
I think it's a NZ native
Lush green flax like leaves (but finer)
Grows in clumps with a small bulb like root (but it doesn't die back like a bulb)
A clump is around 60x60cm
Pretty small purple flower just emerging which looks like a mini iris.

Any ideas!

loadmaster2, Oct 28, 10:03pm
Do you have a picture!

antoniab, Oct 28, 10:09pm
First made me think of Dianella nigra but they have white flowers and purple berries the orchid Thelymitra is purple but not really a flax habit - are you sure its an NZ native!

mokaumoi, Oct 28, 10:45pm

mokaumoi, Oct 28, 10:49pm

jodie-mike, Oct 28, 11:02pm
photo coming up.
am starting to think its a japanese iris.

loadmaster2, Oct 28, 11:15pm
Looks like a day lilly to me

mokaumoi, Oct 28, 11:36pm
It is an iris. Not a native.

piquant, Oct 28, 11:48pm
Iris foetidissima.Spent flower heads develop into split capsules that reveal scarlet berries in autumn and winter.

jodie-mike, Oct 28, 11:48pm
Hi, thanks Mokamoi, so is it a Japanese Iris!
I have googled their pictures and it looks similar.

I have transplanted some clumps of them to around the garden and they are looking very sad, yellowing leaves and limp on the dirt.
Do I give them a good chop back to ground level you think!
Or just mulch and fertilize then leave alone to recover!

I moved them a few months ago.

jodie-mike, Oct 28, 11:49pm
YES piquant, it does get berries in autumn / winter. I had forgotten.
Thanks, I will do some more research now.

gilligee, Oct 28, 11:56pm
No it is not a Japanese iris. They are larger, higher and more dramatic looking.

kateley, Oct 29, 12:35am
it could be some type of morea lily

mokaumoi, Oct 29, 4:28am

jaybee2003, Oct 30, 4:45pm
It is Iris foetidissima - the bane of my life! Spreads like wildfire. Weird smelling leaves when they are torn. I consider it a weed, even as pretty as the berries are.