Species Name:  Iris versicolor

Common Name: Blue Flag Iris

Zone: 2 to 7

Light: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Soil Moisture: Wet to Moist

Soil Types: Sand, Loam, Clay

Fertility: Medium to Rich Organic

pH: 5 to 6.8

Bloom Time: May, June

Habit: Iris versicolor is a vigorous perennial that forms small to large clumps of distinctive narrow pointed sword like leaves from a network of thick creeping rhizomes. In spring several flower stalks emerge with each graced by 3-5 blue-purple or violet Iris shaped flowers.

Iris versicolor is typically considered an emergent aquatic plant. It commonly will grow in standing water 2 to 4” deep to average moisture of rich garden soils. The plant is quite adaptable growing in wet heavy clay to deep organic muck.

Plants naturally grow in marshes, swamps, shorelines of lakes and streams, wet meadows, flood plains and open gaps of wetland forests. Its native range is from the eastern Canadian provinces south to Virginia.

Plants can be used to help stabilize shorelines, reduce erosion of streambanks, filter excess nutrients and enhance wildlife value of marshes and wet meadows.

The foliage is relatively deer resistant and flowers are visited by many pollinators and hummingbirds.