Iris versicolor 'Purple Flame' ~ Purple Flame Blue Flag Iris

Iris versicolor 'Purple Flame' ~ Purple Flame Blue Flag IrisPurple 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

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.