Growing guide · Perennials

Iris versicolor

How to grow Northern Blue Flag Iris 'Purple Flame'.

Wants wet feet. Gives purple leaves.

Light
Full sun, part sun
Water
High
Zones
3–9
Size
2–3 ft tall, 18–24 in. wide
Spacing
18–24 in. apart.
Pets
Not on the ASPCA pet-safe list; keep it out of reach
Upright sword-shaped leaves flushed purple with violet iris flowers

Light

Full sun for best flowers and leaf color. Part shade is fine.

Water

Keep it consistently moist to wet. It will grow in shallow water.

Planting and soil

Plant in spring or late summer with the rhizome just under the soil surface in rich, moist soil.

Feeding

Compost in spring.

Pruning

Remove spent flower stalks. Cut foliage back in late fall or early spring.

Through the year

Purple leaves in spring. Flowers May to June. Foliage stays upright until frost.

If something's off

Leaves brown at the tips in dry soil. All iris rhizomes are toxic to pets if eaten.

Plays well with

Plant it with friends.

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Why we stock it: A native iris with real foliage color for the wet spots most plants cannot take.

Grows wild in 14 states (USDA PLANTS records). About 10 native butterfly and moth species use Iris as a host (Narango et al. 2020).

That's everything we know about growing it. Thanks for reading.

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Kits with Northern Blue Flag Iris 'Purple Flame'.

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