Purple Flame Blue Flag Iris

Purple Flame Blue Flag Iris is a marginal deciduous perennial with a clumping habit and long, lightly arched green sword-like foliage that emerges bold purple.  Long sturdy stalks grow from the center of the plant and are topped with soft bluish-purple flowers with a central yellow splotch surrounded by a white zone from late spring into summer, attracting bees.  Grows best in rich, slightly acidic, moist to wet water-retentive soils.  

Iris versicolor is pollinated by various types of bees but is still a good food source for butterflies and highly attractive to hummingbirds.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Medium Maintenance.  Water regularly, then occasionally once established.  Can cut back any dying foliage after flowering.  In winter, it is intolerant of wet or boggy soils- the roots may rot- move to dryer ground for fall and winter.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Water Gardens, Ponds and Streams, Naturalized Areas, Foundation Plantings, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS:  Joe Pye Weed, Spiderwort, Turtlehead

IMAGES: Proven Winners, versicolor 'Purple Flame', (2) Mt. Cuba Center, Purple Flame blue flag (Iris versicolor ‘Purple Flame’)

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.