Blue Flag
Iris versicolor
Blue flag iris blooms in a rain garden near Spa Creek in Annapolis, Md., on May 31, 2019. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION
Blue flag iris (Iris versicolor) blooms in a conservation landscape at a residential complex in Annapolis, Md., on May 7, 2019. The native plant is part of a conservation landscape project led by Spa Creek Conservancy and planted in 2016. (Photo by Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program) USAGE REQUEST INFORMATION The Chesapeake Bay Program's photographic archive is available for media and non-commercial use at no charge. To request permission, send an email briefly describing the proposed use to CBP Multimedia Manager Will Parson (wparson@chesapeakebay.net). Please do not attach jpegs. Instead, reference the corresponding Flickr URL of the image. A photo credit mentioning the Chesapeake Bay Program is mandatory. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in any way that suggests approval or endorsement of the Chesapeake Bay Program. Requestors should also respect the publicity rights of individuals photographed, and seek their consent if necessary.
Blue Flag, a close up (Bob Gutowski/Flickr)
Blue flag is a native perennial plant with delicate violet flowers that bloom in spring.
Appearance
Blue flag has violet-blue flowers with delicate, arching petals that gradually narrow toward the center of the flower. Its petals have purple veins and a white and yellow base. Flowers bloom May to June. Its leaves are long and grass-like. Blue flag grows to 3 feet tall.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
After blooming, flowers mature into a greenish-brown seed capsule. Seed capsules eventually split open, allowing seeds to scatter. Blue flag also reproduces asexually when underground rhizomes spread.
Did You Know?
- Blue flag attracts bees and hummingbirds.
- The roots and rhizomes of irises are extremely poisonous to humans and animals.
- Native American tribes used irises medicinally. Some tribes also used the outermost fibers of the leaves to create twine.
- Powdered iris root smells like violets and can be found in some perfumes and potpourri.
Sources and Additional Information
- Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat and Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- PLANTS Profile for Iris versicolor – USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Harlequin Blue Flag Iris – U.S. Forest Service
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Iris versicolor – The University of Texas at Austin
Quick Facts
Species
Native
-
Size
3 feet tall -
Habitat
Found in wetlands, marshes, swamps, wet meadows, shorelines, stream banks and other wet areas. Grows in full to partial sun.
-
Range
Grows throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, except in West Virginia.
-
Status
Stable
