Although its name seems incongruous for this bright speckled flower, it gets its name from what is hiding in the large seed pods. When they mature and open, there are dark berries inside that are reminiscent of blackberries. The flower originates in China, Japan and India and is a member of the Iris family.
Thomas Jefferson was one of the first to cultivate this flower in the United States. He called them "Chinese Ixia." I've learned that descendants of his original plantings may still be seen in the Monticello gardens. I did not travel to Monticello for this photograph. I found a stand of Blackberry Lilies in my neighbor's beautifully cultivated garden.
Thank you for all the great comments on my recent pictures... I truly laughed out loud at them! Yes, Florida is so yesterday!