Iris

Why I made it?

I picked the Iris because the colour of the iris “Kakitsubata” is my favorite shade of purple and I wanted to know if there was other species with different or similar colorations.  

Meaning

The word for Iris in Japanese is "shobu". This is the same pronunciation for the words "samurai spirit" and "militarism". Because of this, Irises are believed to hold protective powers. They are also relaxing and can release soreness in muscles if you bathe in them. If you tie leaves of an iris around your head it is said to be even more effective. 

May 5 is the annual celebration of boys day and became a national holiday in 1948, but soon after they changed it to Children's Day so everyone can celebrate. This holiday is celebrated before the Irises are in full bloom. Irises would be placed in baths on Childres's day to enhance their strength.  

Interesting Fact

There are many different varieties of Irises in Japan. The Ayame Iris bloom in mid-May and mid-June on dry land but in some places, they can bloom in Eary May. The  Kakitsubata Iris has less time to bloom compared to the other Irises, they bloom Mid to end of May, they can grow in water or wetlands, in Aichi Prefecture. Hanashobu blooms yearly to late June.