Iris virginica L.

Blue Flag Iris; Virginia Iris

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Virginia Iris is a native perennial in the Iris family (Iridaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Virginia Iris grows on the banks of streams and lakes, in wet roadside ditches, in bogs, and in wet woodlands. It is a clump forming perennial from a much branched rhizome. The leaves are produced at the apex of the rhizomes. The leaves are ensiform (sword-shaped) with entire margins. The leaves are often purple tinged towards the base and gray green in color towards the apex. Flowering stems are erect and usually slightly taller than the leaves. Flowering stems are often branched. The flowers are produced from between two leaf-like bracts (spathes). Flowers are pale blue to rarely white in color. The three sepals (falls) are reflexed and larger than the petals. The sepals have a yellow patch (signal) surrounded by white and radiating purple lines. The three petals (standards) are erect, pale blue in color with yellow towards the base. The stigma has three petaloid branches (arms) that extend over the sepals. The fruit is an ovoid capsule. Virginia Iris is often available from native plant nurseries. It can be grown in a bog or water garden, along streams or ponds, and in open wet areas.--A. Diamond

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Native

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