Natural Highlights: Southern Blue Flag Iris

There are two iris species often sold interchangeably at plant nurseries as Blue Flag Iris: Iris versicolor (Northern Blue Flag) and Iris virginica (Southern Blue Flag).  The natural range of I. versicolor extends northward from Ohio and Virginia, while I. virginica has an extensive range including the Southeast.  The two species are very similar and hard to distinguish from one another, especially where their ranges overlap.  For differences in the two species, you can refer to this link, www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/southern-blueflag to get you started.  Only the Southern Blue Flag Iris (I. virginica) is native to Tennessee’s wetlands, along with 3 other iris species (Copper, Crested, and Dwarf).

The beautiful Southern Blue Flag Iris plays an important ecological role in wetland habitats, attracting hummingbirds and pollinating insects such as bumblebees.  Wild irises tend to form colonies and, along with other colonizing wetland plants, help to clean the water and stabilize soils.  The toxic rhizomes of Blue Flag irises have a long medicinal history in Native American cultures, the leaves and fibers have been used to create baskets and twine, and flower extracts have been used in perfumes.

For more information on the Blue Flag Iris, please visit the following links:

https://plants.sc.egov.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=IRVI

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/rain-garden-plants-iris-versicolor-and-iris-virginica/

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=IRVE2

https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/southern-blue-flag-virginia-iris