There are about 300 species in the Iris genus; perennials found in a wide range of habitats in the Northern Hemisphere. They come in blues and purples and whites and yellows, and gardeners have given us an incredible variety of colors in between. But it's not as if these flowers need any help, or could be improved upon. They are garden-ready wildflowers in the wild.
Many of these beautiful wildflowers are native to North America, and something is in bloom somewhere throughout the spring and summer. Douglas's Iris (I. douglasiana), a western species common in the Redwood region, begins blooming as early as January.
Irises, the family (Iridaceae) as well as the genus, are herbaceous, growing from rhizomes, bulbs and swollen underground stems. Flowers are usually radially symmetrical with 3 petals, 3 petal-like sepals, and 3 stamens, all attached above the ovary. The generic Iris is from the Greek for "rainbow," and refers to the variegated colors of the flowers.
Irises are not reluctant to hybridize, which explains their popularity among those botanical Van Goghs creating new masterpieces. They are a dazzling sight to behold. And they've had a variety of uses.
The roots of Larger Blue Flag (I. versicolor), known as Maka-skithe by the Omaha Indians, were pulverized and mixed with water or saliva, the infusion dripped into ears to treat earaches. Also, a paste was made to apply to bruises. The roots of Yellow Flag (I. pseudoacorus), a garden escapee introduced form Europe, were also used to treat bruises. According to Gerard (1545-1612), the roots "...stamped with a few drops of Rose-water, and laid plaisterwise upon the face...doth in two dayes at the most take away the blackness or blewness of any stroke or bruse."
The leaves of both Tough-leaved Iris (I. tenax) and Douglas's Iris were used to make fishing nets as well as snares for deer and bears.
Easily recognizable, irises are almost too orderly and horticultural-seeming to be wildflowers. While eastern species are mostly blue and purple, there are many yellow to white species out west. These western pale-colored species include Fernald's Iris (I. fernaldi), Siskiyou Iris (I. bracteata), Yellow-leaved Iris (I. chrysophylla) and Golden Iris (I. innominata). Western blues and purples include Long-tubed (I. tenuissima), Tough-leaved, Rocky Mountain (I. missouriensis) and Munz's Iris (I. munzii). Douglas's, Bowl-tubed (I. macrosiphon) and Hartweg's Iris (I. hartwegii) each have variants at both ends of the spectrum.
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