Tall Bearded Iris 'China Maid': Milliken's 1936 Oriental Grace

'China Maid' is a tall bearded iris cultivar hybridized by Milliken and introduced in 1936. The name reflects the 1930s fascination with the "Orient," suggesting a cultivar with an exotic, delicate beauty—perhaps a soft blend of pink, lavender, and cream reminiscent of Chinese porcelain.

Cultivar Details

• Family: Iridaceae (eye-rid-AY-see-ee)
• Genus: Iris (EYE-ris)
• Cultivar: China Maid
• Hybridizer: Milliken
• Registration Year: 1936

As a 1936 introduction, 'China Maid' is a historic cultivar from the formative years of American iris breeding. It likely possesses the graceful, narrow-petaled elegance of its era, with a color palette that was considered sophisticated and worldly at the time—a living artifact of garden history.