Iris versicolor - BLUE FLAG IRIS

Variable seed mixture with bluish and purple tones.This underused native Iris is a great native perennial and a hummingbird and bee favorite.

The clusters of 2-3” bluish-purple flowers rise several inches above the foliage in early summer. The leaves arch downward nicely. It's an ideal plant for naturalization, erosion control along streams, in wet meadows, or in medium-moist flower beds. Good cut flower.

Plant this Iris along your pond edge or even in several inches of water along with Chelone, Hibiscus moscheutos hybrids, Lobelia siphilita, Lobelia cardinalis, Eupatorium, Physostegia, and other moisture-loving perennials. It can also be grown in a moderately moist flower bed, combined with Phlox paniculata, Persicaria amplexicaulis, or Sanguisorba.

Picture copyright : Dlanglois, Commons Wikipedia

Blooming Time: May to June
Size: usually 2-2.5’ tall and wide
USDA Zones: 3 to 9
Culture: sun, half shade, average soil
Moisture Needs: moderately moist to moist/wet, may be grown as an aquatic plant in shallow water (up to 4" deep)
Origin: Eastern United States and Canada (see the USDA distribution map). Wild Blue Flag used to be common in northern boggy areas, but increasing development has restricted its habitats.
Deer/Rabbit Resistant: yes / yes
Attracts Butterflies or Pollinators: native bees
Attracts Hummingbirds: yes
Pot Size: square 3.5" x 4" deep perennial pot