Native plants of the month: Louisiana Irises

By: Phyllis Giffard

Louisiana Irises

This is the time of year that our Louisiana irises shine. While we are not the only state with native irises, our abundance of large, wet areas and relatively early flowering made us a popular destination in the early 1900s for nature-inspired tourism. For those of us lucky enough to have planted irises last fall, the early foliage promises spring around the corner, and their flower stalks tease us until they open to reveal which species they really are. The most common and familiar is the blue flag iris (Iris hexagona) but there is also a giant native (far left, probably Iris giganticaerulea) and white cultivars of them (top right). The floppy-petaled copper iris (Iris fulva) is in the foreground. The zigzag iris (Iris brevicaulis) has a short flower stalk and blooms later. You can see Louisiana irises in the wild at these locations. We applaud the LSU AgCenter for naming Louisiana irises as a 2022 SuperPlant. Dan Gill’s article summarizes the native species and their hybrid varieties (“nativars”), though it is becoming apparent that the Abbeville red iris is a naturally occurring hybrid of blue flag and copper irises. One iris you won’t find in the Griffard rain garden is the yellow invasive Iris pseudacorus. See the imposters below to learn how to distinguish it from a legit hybrid of Louisiana natives.

Know your Louisiana irises.

Most yellow irises are the invasive species Iris pseudacorus. But some hybrids of Louisiana natives are also yellow. Check the leaves for the telltale thickened middle of the invasive. Don’t share. Thanks to the Louisiana Iris Conservation Initiative.

From the April 2022 ANPP Newsletter