Iris   Iris is the state flower of Tennessee. (The Passion Flower is the state wildflower) Buy state flowers

The Greek word Iris means rainbow. The flower got its name from the Greek goddess Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, who was a messenger on Mount Olympus. Iris would take messages from the eye of Heaven to earth, by the arc of the rainbow. The word iris also means eye of heaven. It was the name given to the goddess, this flower, and the center of your eye. This means that each of us carries a piece of heaven with us. Greek men would often plant an iris on the graves of their beloved women as a tribute to the goddess Iris, whose duty was to take the souls of women to the Elysian fields. As a sacred flower, the Iris was credited with healing powers and was used in ancient medicine. In the first century AD, the Greek physician Dioscorides recommended iris root drunk with honey, vinegar or wine for coughs, colds, indigestion and sciatica. The three leaves of the iris represent faith, wisdom, and valor. Iris flowers have three petals often called the standards and three outer petal-like sepals called the falls. It has been a symbol of royalty and divine protection for centuries throughout the world. During the 5th Century, the iris was used for various purposes, including art, where Clovis, King of pagan Franks, created banners to illustrate royal standards for his subjects. Also, Indian and Egyptian cultures used the flower in art to depict life and resurrection. The Fleur-de-lys (a stylized Iris motif) was originally named the fleur-de-Louis, after Louis VII, in 1147 A.D. Through time, it changed to fleur-de-luce which means flower of light, to finally be known as today's version, the fleur-de-lys which means, flower of the lily. The Fleur-de-Lis, has symbolized France since the 13th century. It was also used by the monarchs of France to decorate their royal robes, furnishings and walls. Traditionally, it has been used to represent French royalty and is said to signify perfection, light, and life. In the 12th century, King Louis VI became the first French monarch to use the fleur-de-lis on his shield. The iris found its way onto England's coat of arms British Royal Arms, after King Edward III laid claim to the French crown. English kings later used the symbol on their coats of arms to emphasize their claims to the throne of France. In the 14th century, the fleur-de-lis was often incorporated into the family insignia that was sewn on the knight's surcoat, which was worn over their coat of mail, thus the term, coat of arms. Joan of Arc carried a white banner that showed God blessing the French royal emblem, the fleur-de-lis, when she led French troops to victory over the English in support of the Dauphin, Charles VII, in his quest for the French throne. The Iris was considered a symbol of power by the ancient Egyptians. They placed the iris on the brow of the Sphinx and on the scepters of their kings as a symbol of power. In the year 1479 B.C. in Egypt, to commemorate his victory in Syria, King Thutmose III had pictures of irises drawn on the walls of his temple. Irises are also known as flags or sword flags, relating them to symbols of heraldry and royalty. Military units, including divisions of the United States Army, have used the symbol's resemblance to a spearhead to identify martial power and strength. In Japan, the iris expresses heroism and the blue color refers to blue blood. It plays a key role in the Japanese spring festival for boys. The Roman Catholic Church ascribed the lily as the special emblem of the Virgin Mary. Due to its three petals, the fleur-de-lis has also been used to represent the Holy Trinity. Irises are depicted in the still life paintings of the Dutch masters and Vincent van Gogh. It is the National flower of France. It has a vase life of 4 to 5 days. The root of the iris is used to make fragrances, and potpourri. ********

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