This week we are highlighting the beautiful blue flag iris (iris virginica)! This well known and loved perennial wildflower has a large natural range, found throughout eastern North America and Canada. Here in Florida they are found primarily in northern and central counties.

Typically, blue flag irises are found in wetlands, moist prairies, bogs, floodplains and marshes. They can grow in part to full sun and prefer moist to wet soils (if grown in full sun it’s especially important that the soil stay moist to wet). Unfortunately, they are not considered salt tolerant, so they are best planted in habitats that don’t receive regular salt spray or inundation.

At the Native Landscapes & Garden Center our blue flag irises are just starting to bloom in our swale and wetland gardens! In more northern parts of their range, these irises typically flower in the spring into early summer. During this time, they produce their iconic showy blue to purple flowers with white and yellow inner markings.

When not in bloom, blue flag iris’s ‘sword-like’ leaves provide attractive foliage. In more northern parts of their range this wildflower will go dormant during winter. In Southwest Florida they typically retain their leaves year-round. These irises can get 2 – 4 feet tall with a 1 – 3 feet spread and grow in tight underground rhizomes. If given the time, they can easily fill out a garden area.

Although they have a short bloom time, blue flag iris still makes an excellent addition to wetland pollinator gardens; typical pollinators include a variety of native bees, especially native bumble and carpenter bees. The prominent yellow markings located on the sepals (structures at the base of the flower that protect the buds before they bloom) are known as ‘nectar guides’. These guides serve as a visual aid that lead bees to the nectar wells and reproductive parts of the flower, aiding in pollination!

For more information:

Florida Native Plant Society:

IFAS: