Tennessee's state flower is the IRIS, which is a four-letter word. The IRIS is a genus of 260–300 species of flowering plants with showy flowers. It takes its name from the Greek word for a rainbow, referring to the wide variety of flower colors found among the many species. The IRIS is also the symbol of the French fleur-de-lis. In Tennessee, the IRIS is the official state flower and is found in many gardens throughout the state.