Yellow Flag Iris
Iris pseudacorus
Photo Credit: LMehrhoff UConn Bugwood
Plant Description
A showy perennial with cream to bright yellow flowers and seed capsules up to 2.5″ long. When not flowering, it can be confused with cattails, the leaves of which are arranged like a stack of cards at the base as opposed to the fan-shape arrangement of yellow flag iris
leaves.
Plant Details
| Life Forms | |
|---|---|
| Habitats | |
| ODA Listing | |
| Soil and Moisture Conditions | |
| Suggested Actions | |
| Shade Preference | |
| Mature Height | 2-3' |
| Distribution | Found throughout the western US, widespread in the Willamette Valley. |
| Control | Prevention is the best strategy. Bag and discard seed pods. Individual plants can be pulled, being sure to protect skin from contact with resins and remove all rhizome fragments. Repeat yearly. For larger patches, contact Oregon Department of Agriculture for treatment advice. |
| Disposal Methods | Bag and seal seeds and dispose of in landfill. |
| Reproduction and Spread | Spreads by seeds (they float) and by rhizomes. |
| Introduced | Native to Europe, North Africa, the Mediterranean |
| Look Alikes | cattails, other yellow irises |
| Impact | Dense patches exclude native plants and create a low oxygen environment that that impacts fish and wildlife. |
| More Info |
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