• Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris) native plant in bloom
1 1

Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris)

Iris versicolor (Blue Flag Iris)

1. Choose plants or seed

Select one type, then choose your size below.

2. Choose a size
$ 94.00
$ 94.00
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.

Pre-order — Projected ready date:

Subject to confirmation.

Updated

Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) has blue-green, sword-shaped leaves and blue to violet flowers in late spring and early summer. The upright leaf fans form expanding clumps, usually about 2 to 3 feet tall. It adds flowers and vertical foliage to wet meadows, pond margins and other plantings where the soil stays moist.

Full sun encourages good flowering, although the plant also tolerates partial shade. Unlike dry-site garden irises, this species can grow in shallow standing water. Choose its position according to the site's normal moisture conditions, not just how wet it becomes after a storm. Clumps can be divided after flowering when more space is needed. Do not label the plant pet-safe or use it as an edible water-garden plant.

Plant specifications & ecological relationships

Key growing facts

Sunlight Full sun; Partial Shade
Soil moisture Reported soil conditions: frequent standing water, moist, occasional flooding, occasionally wet
Height 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Show / hide ▾Growing & planting details
Cultivation hardiness zones Zones 3a–9b (general cultivation guidance)
Deer browsing Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.
Plant toxicity Poison characteristics are reported; listed parts: roots, sap/juice, seeds. Pet safety is not established.

Plant identification & seed reference

Botanical name Iris versicolor
Other common names Harlequin Blueflag; Large Blue Iris; Larger Blue Flag Iris; Northern Blue Flag
Plant family Iridaceae

Planting, growth & seasonal care

Browsing guidance: Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible.

Use the selected product option to confirm the supply format and quantity. For a mixed planting, calculate the order from the actual species and layout; a plant’s mature height alone does not determine a seed rate or plug spacing.

Show / hide ▾Plant communities & associates

Other documented plant associations

These records place Iris versicolor in the habitats and regions identified below. They supplement the existing ecological information; they are not all Chicago-region observations.

Community membership is not a planting prescription. The Michigan classification lists these plants within northern shrub thicket. The linked list is the selected catalog-matched portion of that account, not a complete inventory. Plants listed for one community type can occur at different sites or in different parts of a wetland; this does not show that every pair grows together.

Show / hide ▾Native range & C-value

State nativity describes a broad range. Use the Chicago-region assessment for local context; a state listing does not establish county nativity.

Wetland indicator — NWPL 2022 Midwest OBL
Native range — U.S. states Connecticut; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New York; Ohio; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Vermont; Virginia; Wisconsin
County nativity Not yet verified; occurrence records do not establish nativity.

Regional assessment notes

This taxon is native to parts of the United States. A matching Flora of the Chicago Region (2017) assessment has not been verified for this listing. Any regional fallback rating is identified separately in the table above.

These records describe botanical distribution. They do not establish county occurrence or suitability for every site; an unlisted state is not proof of absence.

Show / hide ▾Pollinators & wildlife

Caterpillars recorded on Iris — genus-level evidence

These records concern the plant genus Iris, not necessarily Iris versicolor. They do not establish a host relationship for every species in the genus, specialist status, or occurrence at your location. The selected insects are listed as native in the source’s North American study area.

Macromoth: Amphipoea americana (American Ear Moth, American Borer); Amphipoea keiferi; Amphipoea pacifica; Ctenucha virginica (Virginia Ctenucha ); Helotropha reniformis (American Crescent Borer, Reniform Celaena, Reniform Helotropha); Lophocampa ingens; Orgyia leucostigma (White-Marked Tussock Moth ); Papaipema cataphracta (Burdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer); Papaipema nebris (Stalk Borer); Tetracis cachexiata (White Slant-Line); Xanthopastis regnatrix (Convict Caterpillar, Spanish Quaker, Spanish Moth); Xylena curvimacula (Dot-and-Dash Swordgrass Moth ); Xylena nupera (Red Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm).

Micromoth: Endothenia hebesana (Verbena Bud Moth); Endothenia rubipunctana; Moodna ostrinella (Darker Moodna).

Show / hide ▾Frequently asked questions

What are the ideal growing conditions for Blue Flag Iris?
Light: Full sun; Partial Shade. Soil moisture: Reported soil conditions: frequent standing water, moist, occasional flooding, occasionally wet.

Is Blue Flag Iris deer and herbivore resistant?
Deer resistance reported in cultivation guidance; browsing remains possible. Even plants described as resistant may be browsed. Use physical protection where deer damage is a concern.

Show / hide ▾Sources & ecological notes

Other community records: Northern Shrub Thicket — Michigan Natural Community Classification.

Native range & ecological ratings: USACE National Wetland Plant List; Kew WCVP / Plants of the World Online.

Growing conditions & other references: NC State Extension Plant Toolbox.

Wildlife records: Shropshire & Tallamy: caterpillar hosts (2025).

Native range does not identify the origin of the seed or plants offered. Community and wildlife records apply to the locations and conditions described.

Research notes & credits

U.S. state nativity: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 4 June 2026 release, under Iris versicolor. © The Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; CC BY 3.0. Native records selected; introduced, doubtful and extinct records excluded. Kew cannot warrant the quality or accuracy of these data; no endorsement is implied. State nativity is separate from Chicago-region nativity, county occurrence and the origin of nursery stock.

Additional reference: Open Database License 1.0.

Data adapted from Shropshire, K.J. & Tallamy, D.W. (2025), Lepidoptera of North America, north of Mexico, supplementary material 1. This selected and reformatted host dataset is available under the Open Database License 1.0. No endorsement implied.

Genus-level research records

These records concern the plant genus. They do not establish that each insect feeds on this particular plant species.

Record ID Scientific insect name Common name Source group Plant genus
200718 Amphipoea americana American Ear Moth, American Borer macromoth Iris
200722 Amphipoea keiferi macromoth Iris
200724 Amphipoea pacifica macromoth Iris
203646 Ctenucha virginica Virginia Ctenucha macromoth Iris
206757 Helotropha reniformis American Crescent Borer, Reniform Celaena, Reniform Helotropha macromoth Iris
207901 Lophocampa ingens macromoth Iris
209084 Orgyia leucostigma White-Marked Tussock Moth macromoth Iris
209261 Papaipema cataphracta Burdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer macromoth Iris
209281 Papaipema nebris Stalk Borer macromoth Iris
212378 Tetracis cachexiata White Slant-Line macromoth Iris
212785 Xanthopastis regnatrix Convict Caterpillar, Spanish Quaker, Spanish Moth macromoth Iris
212898 Xylena curvimacula Dot-and-Dash Swordgrass Moth macromoth Iris
212899 Xylena nupera Red Swordgrass Moth, American Swordgrass Moth, False Armyworm macromoth Iris
204639 Endothenia hebesana Verbena Bud Moth micromoth Iris
204647 Endothenia rubipunctana micromoth Iris
208504 Moodna ostrinella Darker Moodna micromoth Iris

Growing guidance: Illinois Extension — Keeping deer out of the yard and garden. Selected facts in original wording. General deer advice is not a species resistance rating.

Plant Shipping & Care

We want to ensure that our customers get what they want, a native backyard oasis. To do that, we need to follow a few simple guidelines and give you some information and pointers to make sure you get your plants delivered in a healthy state.

As a reminder, you will receive an email to confirm your pickup or shipping window just before the plants are ready. See Order Fulfillment below for seasonal fulfillment windows.

 

Choices to Receive Your Plants & Accessories

  • Website orders: Seed, plugs and bare-root plants offered for shipping are shipped to your address. Shipping charges are calculated at checkout.
  • Container trees and shrubs: Some #3 and #5 container options are offered for scheduled pickup only. Check the selected product option and the cart pickup instructions before ordering. Pickup and shipped items require separate orders where indicated in the cart.
  • Wholesale orders: Delivery and pickup are arranged separately according to the order, supplier yard and location. Wholesale pickup is free.
  • Pickup locations and dates are confirmed by email. Please wait for confirmation before traveling to a pickup site. Our offices are not retail stores or nursery pickup locations.

 

Order Fulfilment - When Your Plants or Other Items Will Be Ready

We take orders all year long and seed is shipped all year, but we only provide the plants to you in certain fulfillment windows to ensure healthy plants.

Wholesale Orders

  • Shipped or are Ready For Pick Up As Requested.

 

Retail & Website Orders

  • Seed Typically Ships Out Within One Week Of Order All Year Long
  • Typically, single species flats ship when ready, sometimes as soon as early to mid-April (depends on weather) through early-October.
  • Mixed species kits are batched and shipped as indicated on the product page.
  • If a plant order is placed while outside of the plant fulfillment window your plants will be reserved through your payment, however, the order will not be fulfilled and shipped until the following spring. We don't want to provide you plants when they won't be happy during the cold winter months. 
  • Early in the spring and later in the fall certain species may be dormant or partially dormant with brown leaves, however they will return to grow healthy next growing season.
  • Your order may arrive in several different shipments.
  • If certain plants within an order will not be available until a later date, we may choose to hold the full order until all are ready.  In certain circumstances, we may choose to send them in two separate shipments 
  • Fulfillment is always dependent upon plant availability.  We try our best but sometimes plants do not overwinter well and perish.  If a plant is on back order you will receive an email indicating the estimated shipping date.  If we can not provide the plant we will first notify you and give you an option of substitution or a refund of that individual species.
  • Plants are typically only packaged and shipped on Mondays to ensure they do not sit in the harsh delivery facility for extended periods of time over the weekend. You will receive a confirmation email once your delivery has been shipped and to estimate your delivery date.
  • Apparel & accessories are ready typically within one to two weeks. See product page for holiday shipping.

Where We Ship

 

 

        What to Expect When Receiving Your Delivery

        • Your plants will be packaged with the utmost care
        • We will need to cut back certain plants prior to shipping. This seems counter-intuitive, however, the fewer leaves the less water the plants can lose during shipping, resulting in healthier plants for you. This also enables the plants to fit within the protective packaging and shipped safely.

         

           Shipments

          • Larger plant shipments will look similar to the picture below with a tray of your plants and a cardboard box to protect them during shipping.

           

           

          What to Do With Your Plants After  Receiving Your Delivery

          • Unpack your order IMMEDIATELY
          • Inspect for damage and report any issues immediately to Natives@NaturalCommunities.net
          • Water your plants
          • Install your plants as quickly as possible and water the entire garden area thoroughly
          • If you cannot install your plants immediately
            • Some plants may not be in a container, put them into some kind of a container such as a paper cup with loose soil until installation
            • Make sure each plant is receiving the appropriate amount of light.
            • Continue to water daily each morning and possibly again in the afternoon
            • No additional fertilizer is needed
          How to install native plugs
          View full details

          Solving a Site Problem? Get Expert Advice + Get Store Credit

          Whether you're fighting severe erosion, replacing invasive species, designing a pollinator haven, or seeding large acreage, choosing the wrong species wastes time and money. Talk 1-on-1 with a restoration ecologist to map out the exact species, plug counts, or seed mixes for your soil and goals. Book a consultation and get all or a portion credited directly back to your order.

          Book A Consultation And Get A Store Credit
          Questions & Answers loading...