Irises in the reticulata group grow from bulbs and are among the earliest of all flowers to bloom in the Midwest. Iris 'Joyce', only about 5 inches tall, produces royal-blue flowers in early spring, sometimes when the snow is still on the ground. The lower three petals have a contrasting yellow splotch at the base. Reticulata irises produce 3 to 4 stiffly upright linear leaves. By mid-summer the leaves die back to the ground.