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Iridaceae
Iris

not marked as a favorite taxon Iris versicolor Linnaeus. Common name: Northern Blue Flag, Larger Blue Flag, Poison Flag, Harlequin Blue Flag. Phenology: May-Jul. Habitat: Calcareous fens and marshes, mafic fens, tidal marshes and swamps, interdune ponds, shores. Distribution: NL west to SK, south to VA, WV, OH, and MN.

Glossary (beta!)

clade: Limniris.

Origin/Endemic status: Native

Synonymy ⓘ: = AqW, C, Can, FNA26, G, K4, Mi, NE, NY, Pa, S, S13, Tat, Va, W; = Limniris versicolor (L.) Rodion. — Crespo, Martínez-Azorín, & Mavrodiev (2015); = n/a — Il. Basionym: Iris versicolor L. 1753

Links to other floras: = Iris versicolor - FNA26

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: OBL
  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: OBL
  • Great Plains: OBL
  • Midwest: OBL
  • Northcentral & Northeast: OBL

Heliophily ⓘ: 8

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image #1 of Iris versicolor© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
image #2 of Iris versicolor© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷
image #3 of Iris versicolor© Collectors SOS | Original Image ⭷
image #4 of Iris versicolor© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #5 of Iris versicolor© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image #6 of Iris versicolor© Jacob Dakar | Original Image ⭷
image #7 of Iris versicolor© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #8 of Iris versicolor© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷
image #9 of Iris versicolor© Erik Danielson source | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

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Height: 2-3 ft.

plant sale text: Graceful blue flowers boldly veined with a touch of yellow, rise above the narrow pointed leaves in late spring. Harlequin Blueflag is a natural for sunny boggy areas, its native habitat, but it also thrives in average soil, and even red clay. Its grasslike foliage creates a beautiful silhouette at the edge of a water garden. Established plants grow into large showy clumps. Try Harlequin blueflag in your perennial border or naturalized in a wet area. The genus Iris can support up to 12 lepidoptera species.

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native range: Northeastern North America