# Bowltube Iris (*Iris macrosiphon*)

The Bowltube Iris is a beautiful flower with long, slender petals that can be purple, blue, or white. It blooms in spring and adds lovely colors to gardens and meadows.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands

![Bowltube Iris](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Iris_macrosiphon.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Eric in SF, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iris_macrosiphon.jpg)

## Appearance

The Bowltube Iris has striking deep blue-purple flowers with a distinctive bowl-like shape and prominent yellow or white signals on its falls. Its long, slender green leaves grow in elegant clumps, standing tall among other plants.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Liliopsida
- **Order:** Asparagales
- **Family:** Iridaceae
- **Genus:** Iris

## Interesting facts

- Even though it's lovely, eating any part of this plant can give you an upset tummy!
- Iris means "rainbow" in Greek, a nod to the many colors found in iris flowers!
- Its seeds have a tiny fatty bump that attracts hungry ants to carry them away!
- Some cultures believe iris flowers symbolize royalty, hope, or even wisdom.

## Special abilities

- **Nectar Deep Dive:** The Bowltube Iris has a long, slender floral tube that hides sweet nectar, ensuring only long-tongued pollinators can reach it.
- **Underground Spreader:** Bowltube Iris spreads via thick underground stems called rhizomes, helping it form new plants and survive dry conditions.
- **Pollinator Landing Strip:** Bright yellow markings on its lower petals act as 'landing strips,' guiding thirsty bees and butterflies straight to the nectar.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 20-60 cm
- **Spread:** 15-40 cm
- **Flower Size:** 7-10 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** Mild
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** [Yellow-faced Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/yellow-faced-bumble-bee) (*Bombus vosnesenskii*) — Gathers nectar and pollen, aiding in plant reproduction.
- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits flowers for nectar, transferring pollen between plants.
- **Eats:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer occasionally browse on its leaves, especially when young.
- **Depends on:** Silky Ant (*Formica fusca*) — Ants collect elaiosome-rich seeds, helping the plant spread.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth.
- [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch flowers without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Bowltube Iris?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Bowltube Iris?

20-60 cm

### How wide does Bowltube Iris spread?

15-40 cm

### How big are the flowers on Bowltube Iris?

7-10 cm

### When does Bowltube Iris bloom?

Spring to early summer

### Is Bowltube Iris edible?

No

### Is Bowltube Iris toxic?

Mild

### What is Bowltube Iris's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Pine Hill Ecological Reserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/pine-hill-ecological-reserve) — California, US · Nature Reserve
- [Robert Louis Stevenson State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/robert-louis-stevenson-state-park) — California, US · State Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Bowltube Iris: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bowltube-iris)