Orris Root

Corruption of iris root; the dried rhizomes of three species of Iris, I. germanica, I. pallida, and I. florentina. The dried roots formerly were used medicinally, but are primarily valued now by the perfume industry because of their violet dike oil. To a lesser extent, they are used in the manufacture of confectionery and cordials. In the past wines and brandies were perfumed with the root; also, a piece of root added to a keg of home-brewed beer reputedly kept the beer from going stale. Mrs. Grieve, quoting a Dr. Rhind (History of the Vegetable Kingdom, 1868), noted that the root was “much used in Russia to flavour a drink made of honey and ginger which is sold in the streets” (437). The best dried root was nearly white, lesser grades yellow or darker colors. Molokhovets used orris root when cleansing the odor from spirits (#2142) and colored orris root when making Sweetened mead (#2213). (“Orris Root,” Bulletin of Miscellaneous Information, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, No. 1, 1930, 91–93; Winton and Winton, Structure and Composition of Foods, IV, 196–197.)