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Iris versicolor, the Blue Flag Iris, is a hardy lakeshore
perennial herb of shallow water. It is a native of
Eastern Canada and the Northern United States. This well-known
plant is from 2 to 3 feet height. Good for water gardens
and bogs. One of the easiest, and showiest, of aquatics
for the home gardener.
The flowers are consisting of 3 sepals and 3 petals. The
flowers are large, 3-4 inches across, showy, light to
deep blue with yellow and whitish markings at the base of
the sepals. They appear atop erect stems, bearing from 2
to 6 flowers, from May to July. The erect stem, sometimes
branched near the top.
It produces narrow, slightly arching, sword-shaped, blue-green
leaves, no more than 1 cm wide. The plant spreads by
means of its modified stems, rhizomes, which are located
below the soil surface.
Hardiness zones 3-9, (-37°C/-35°F, -5°C/25°F) in
Winter. Iris versicolor need full sun to partial shade
with a heavy, rich moist soil. Use a soil mix consisting
of 2 parts clay to 1 part loam to 1 part sand. The plants
are kept moist at all times, which makes it a great plant
for water features. Fertilization minimal if any. They
grow very quickly.
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