Iris Versicolor

BY: National Home Gardening Club

I bought blue flag for a spot near our front door that was flooded by every hard rain. I knew the elegant purple-blue flowers of this native iris would be a pretty sight in spring—but even better are the long, tapered, swordlike leaves, which last until fall and make a great background for smaller summer flowers. Blue flag (Iris versicolor) does best in water gardens or at the edges of ponds and streams, but it will also do well in a regular garden bed that has consistent moisture. After I planted blue flag, we installed gutters, and the soggy patch is no longer soggy. The blue flag is doing fine, though—in fact, it’s about to outgrow its home.

Common name: Blue Flag
Botanical name: Iris versicolor
Plant type: Perennial
Zones: 3 to 9
Height: 2 to 3 feet
Family: Iridaceae

Growing conditions
• Sun: Full sun to part shade
• Soil: Average, humusy
• Moisture: Medium to wet

Care
• Mulch: Mulch to preserve moisture in the soil.
• Pruning: None needed.
• Fertilizer: None needed.

Propagation
• By division

Pests and diseases
• Vulnerable to crown rot, leaf spot, rust, and viruses.
• Common pests include aphids, iris borers, whiteflies, and snails and slugs.

Garden notes
• Iris versicolor does well on the edges of a pond, water garden, or bog. Or plant it in a border with rich, consistently moist soil.
• Plant with turtlehead, ferns, swamp milkweed, and other moisture-loving plants.
• Leave the stems and seed pods of blue flag. When they dry, they’ll create an interesting winter scene.
• I. versicolor will spread slowly to form clumps. You can divide them every third year.

Cultivars
• ‘Kermesina’ has purple-red flowers.
• ‘Mint Fresh’ has white petals with purple stripes.
• The flowers of ‘Version’ are a soft pink color.

All in the family
• There are more than 300 species in the Iris genus.
• Blue flag has a southern cousin, Iris virginica, which is similar in appearance and habit, but thrives in Zones 5 to 9.
• Also in the Iridaceae family are the genera Crocus, Gladiolus, and Sisyrinchium.

(Text by Elizabeth Noll, photo of Iris versicolor courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening)

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Iris Versicolor

A flag for every pond

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Current Articles \| Archives \| Search Iris Versicolor A flag for every pond BY: National Home Gardening Club 0 I bought blue flag for a spot near our front door that was flooded by every hard rain. I knew the elegant purple-blue flowers of this native iris would be a pretty sight in spring—but even better are the long, tapered, swordlike leaves, which last until fall and make a great background for smaller summer flowers. Blue flag (Iris versicolor) does best in water gardens or at the edges of ponds and streams, but it will also do well in a regular garden bed that has consistent moisture. After I planted blue flag, we installed gutters, and the soggy patch is no longer soggy. The blue flag is doing fine, though—in fact, it’s about to outgrow its home. Common name: Blue Flag Botanical name: Iris versicolor Plant type: Perennial Zones: 3 to 9 Height: 2 to 3 feet Family: Iridaceae Growing conditions • Sun: Full sun to part shade • Soil: Average, humusy • Moisture: Medium to wet Care • Mulch: Mulch to preserve moisture in the soil. • Pruning: None needed. • Fertilizer: None needed. Propagation • By division Pests and diseases • Vulnerable to crown rot, leaf spot, rust, and viruses. • Common pests include aphids, iris borers, whiteflies, and snails and slugs. Garden notes • Iris versicolor does well on the edges of a pond, water garden, or bog. Or plant it in a border with rich, consistently moist soil. • Plant with turtlehead, ferns, swamp milkweed, and other moisture-loving plants. • Leave the stems and seed pods of blue flag. When they dry, they’ll create an interesting winter scene. • I. versicolor will spread slowly to form clumps. You can divide them every third year. Cultivars • ‘Kermesina’ has purple-red flowers. • ‘Mint Fresh’ has white petals with purple stripes. • The flowers of ‘Version’ are a soft pink color. All in the family • There are more than 300 species in the Iris genus. • Blue flag has a southern cousin, Iris virginica, which is similar in appearance and habit, but thrives in Zones 5 to 9. • Also in the Iridaceae family are the genera Crocus, Gladiolus, and Sisyrinchium. (Text by Elizabeth Noll, photo of Iris versicolor courtesy of Missouri Botanical Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening) Comments There are currently no comments, be the first to post one. Post Comment Only registered users may post comments.