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Northern Blue Flag Iris

Iris versicolor

Elegant violet-blue iris flowers with intricate yellow and white throat markings bloom over sword-like blue-green foliage in early summer. An ideal native margin plant for rain gardens, pond edges, and wet meadows. The rootstock and foliage contain iridin and are toxic if ingested.

Family

Iridaceae

Type

wildflower

Lifespan

perennial

Height

2–2.5 ft

Spacing

2–2.5 ft apart

Light

sun, part shade

Soil moisture

moist, wet

Soil pH

acidic, neutral

Bloom

May, June, July, August

Bloom colors

blue, purple

Wildlife value

songbirds

Landscape uses

border

Native states

CT, DC, DE, ID, IL, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VA, VT, WI, WV