# northern blue flag (*Iris versicolor*) The northern blue flag is a beautiful flower with blue and purple petals. It grows in wet places and is loved by many butterflies and bees. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 25 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Blue Iris ![northern blue flag](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/.00_7973_Verschiedenfarbige_Schwertlilie_%28Iris_versicolor%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: W. Bulach, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:.00_7973_Verschiedenfarbige_Schwertlilie_%28Iris_versicolor%29.jpg) ## Appearance The northern blue flag has striking violet-blue flowers, each with unique yellow and white markings, resembling a flag. Its long, sword-shaped green leaves stand upright, forming dense clumps that often line wetland edges. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Iridaceae - **Genus:** Iris ## Interesting facts - Its name 'versicolor' means 'variously colored' due to its mixed flower hues! - Native Americans once used parts of this plant for traditional medicines and dyes. - This plant is fantastic at soaking up extra water, helping to clean its wetland home! - You might find its beautiful blooms growing wild even in city park ponds! ## Special abilities - **Wetland Warrior:** Northern blue flag can thrive in waterlogged soil thanks to rhizomes that help it breathe and store nutrients. - **Nectar Beacon:** Northern blue flag has bright, intricate flowers that guide thirsty insects like bees and butterflies to its sweet nectar. - **Chemical Shield:** Northern blue flag contains irritating compounds that make it unappetizing to most animals, keeping them from eating it. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 5-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Moderate - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — drinks nectar from its flowers - **Pollinates:** [Eastern Tiger Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-tiger-swallowtail) (*Papilio glaucus*) — drinks nectar from its flowers - **Eaten by:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — eats rhizomes in aquatic habitats ## 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. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [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. - [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. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch flowers unless an adult says it's okay. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify northern blue flag? 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 northern blue flag? 30-90 cm ### How wide does northern blue flag spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on northern blue flag? 5-10 cm ### When does northern blue flag bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is northern blue flag edible? No ### Is northern blue flag toxic? Moderate ### What is northern blue flag's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Berkshire Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berkshire-botanical-garden) — Massachusetts, US · Botanical Garden - [Brett Woods Open Space](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brett-woods-open-space) — Connecticut, US · Park - [Chadwick Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chadwick-arboretum) — Ohio, US · Botanical Garden - [Mt. Cuba Center](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mt-cuba-center) — Delaware, US · Botanical Garden - [Salmon Falls (West) Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/salmon-falls-west-historic-district) — Maine, US · Historic District - [Virginville](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/virginville) — Pennsylvania, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see northern blue flag](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/northern-blue-flag) ## 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*) --- Source: [Northern Blue Flag: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/northern-blue-flag)