The cultivar 'Pleasures of May' has white standards with a lavender blush and pale violet falls with darker veins. The white signals are often marked with distinctive yellow and white patterns. It stands 30 inches high and blooms in early to late season, while the thin, grass like foliage remains a highlight throughout the summer. In 1999 Pleasures of May was awarded Honorable Mention by the American Iris Society. Siberian irises lack the “beard” of colored hairs at the base of each fall that other iris groups have. Typically these irises grow together in thick clumps which keep out weeds. The name Iris was taken from the Greek goddess of the rainbow to symbolize the many colors of this flower. The classic 'Fleur de Lys' which has been a symbol of royalty throughout history was an adaptation of the iris flower.