The plant has flowers in various shades of blue,[1] from bluish violet,[2] bright sky blue,[3] and lilac blue,[4] Like other irises, it has 2 pairs of petals, 3 large sepals (outer petals), known as the 'falls' and 3 inner, smaller petals (or tepals), known as the 'standards'.[6] The falls have a dark blue veining and a yellow crest on the ridge.[4][5][9] It does not have a beard.[6] Occasionally, white flowered forms can be found in the wild.[7]