Hosea 14:5 is translated various ways. After careful study, Bible botanists concluded that the plant mentioned here is Yellow Flag Iris, a plant well known in Palestine. One translation describes them as plants with roots like a popular. Poplars send up suckers from their roots. It seems logical that the people observed how the Iris spread by what we call rhizomes today. They grow on the banks of streams, rivers and lakes. Their bloom is bright yellow. That makes them visible for quite a distance.

Cultivation

Iris grows best in a moist, quick draining loam. Plant them 3-4 inches deep where they will receive full sun or slight shade. Potential problem: iris borers (pinkish-brown pupas) in soil around roots destroy entire plant. Replant iris in a different garden location. Iris bloom only on the tips of the rhizomes. They need to be divided every few years with the older rhizomes discarded.

Bible References

Hosea 14:5: I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

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