Native Plant: For beauty without all the maintenance, try the blue flag iris

Editor's note: Once a month, the OSU Extension master gardener's office of Franklin County profiles a plant that occurs naturally in central Ohio.

For many gardeners, a shady, damp location presents quite a challenge for plant selection. Most of the perennial plants found in garden centers prefer full sun, and simply won’t grow in standing water. However, here in central Ohio, there is a native flower that absolutely thrives in wetlands.

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Blue flag iris (Iris versicolor) is a relative of the showy bearded irises blooming in many Midwestern yards during the springtime months. Blue flag irises grow to be 2 to 3 feet tall, with beautiful violet-blue or purple flowers, surrounded by green sword-like leaves. 

The flowers start to bloom in May, attracting pollinators such as hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. The sepals (or falls) of each purple flower are marked with prominent dark veining and a central yellow stripe that is a guide for insects, directing them to the nectar at the center of each flower. 

Blue flag irises prefer to grow in damp conditions, beside a pond, or in a rain garden. But they will grow anywhere where the soil stays moist and can even be grown in containers. The flowers will thrive in partial-shade to full sun, and spread on their own, both through self-seeding and the spread of rhizomes that grow just below the soil. 

To divide the irises, simply dig them up after they have finished flowering in the summer, and gently separate the rhizomes. Gloves are recommended when dividing Blue flag irises, as the rhizomes may irritate one’s skin. 

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Blue flag irises are poisonous to livestock, and many of our garden visitors, such as rabbits and deer, will avoid them. They are a great plant to help with soil erosion alongside the banks of ponds, streams and rivers. And with no known pest or disease problems, the blue flag iris is a low-maintenance beauty to consider in a damp spot of the garden this spring. 

Growing Conditions

Hardiness Zones: 3-9

Sun: partial-shade to full sun

Water: moist, wet soil

Soil: grows best in slightly acidic soil

Maintenance: Little maintenance is required.

Propagation: The iris will self-seed and spread through its rhizomes, but may be divided in the summer after the flowers have bloomed. 

Pests and diseases: none known