IRIS VERSICOLOR

Lat.: Iris versicolor

Common name: Blue Flag

Family: Iridaceae

Native to North America, the Eastern United States and Eastern Canada.  

Plants are 2-3 inch tall. The sword shaped leaves are up to 30 inch tall and 1-2 inch wide.  Leaves overlap at the base and fold around the adjacent leaf to form a flat fan-like arrangement.

In spring, leafless flower stalks bear 3-5 blue-purple or violet flowers. Each bloom is 3-4 inch wide with darker purple veins.

The blooms have a typical iris form with three drooping sepals and three small upright petals. 

Angular capsules form after flowering. The seeds are covered in a corky deposit that allows them to distribute by floating in water.

Iris versicolor contains:

• Tritepenoids
• Tannins
• Oleo-resin
• Beta-sitosterols
• Acids (salicylic and isophthalic)
• Iridin glycoside (irisin)
• Volatile oil (furfural)