A native iris with brilliant blue-violet flowers and tall sword-shaped leaves. Provincial flower of Quebec and a striking native alternative to invasive Asian irises.
§ Quick facts
§ Encyclopedia
Iris versicolor or Iris versicolour is also commonly known as the blue flag, harlequin blueflag, larger blue flag, northern blue flag, and poison flag, plus other variations of these names, and in Great Britain and Ireland as purple iris.
Source: Wikipedia — Iris versicolor Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
§ Identification
Field marks. Tall sword-shaped leaves; brilliant blue-purple flowers with intricate guide patterns.
Similar species. Yellow Flag Iris (invasive). Other iris species.
Voice. N/A
§ Diet & behavior
Diet. N/A — photosynthesis
Behavior. Spreads by rhizomes in wet conditions. Iconic eastern wetland flower.
§ Range
Northeastern US and Canada
§ Habitat
Wet meadows, marshes, stream banks
§ Threats
Wetland loss, replacement with invasive yellow flag iris.
§ Conservation status
According to the IUCN Red List, the northern blue flag is currently classified as Least Concern.
§ What helps
Plant native blue flag in wet garden corners. Remove invasive yellow flag iris.
§ Further reading
- Wikipedia — Iris versicolor
- www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Iris versicolor
- iNaturalist · taxon 75898
- IUCN Red List — search for Iris versicolor
- GBIF occurrence records
- Encyclopedia of Life — Iris versicolor
§ Sources cited
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
- USDA Plants Database
