It is a very small bulbous iris, not exceeding 10 to 15 cm at flowering. The leaves, short and with a characteristic quadrangular section of reticulated irises, are barely developed at the time of flowering and then elongate.
The flowers are large compared to the plant, a deep purple violet, almost wine-colored, with on the drooping sepals a central white and bright yellow blotch, bordered with black-violet, which is the most immediate marker of this cultivar. The upright standards are a bright violet.
In its natural habitat, the flowering of the type species extends from January to March. In cultivation, 'George' blooms in January-February, sometimes as early as late December in mild climates, making it one of the earliest irises of the year.
It is cultivated in full sun, in very well-drained, rocky soil, with a dry resting period in summer essential for the proper maturation of the bulb.