# Southern Blue Flag (*iris virginica*) The Southern Blue Flag is a beautiful flower that has bright blue petals and grows near water. Children will love to spot these colorful flowers in wetlands and gardens! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger - **Snaps:** 16 - **Habitat:** Wetlands, marshes, and the edges of ponds. - **Also known as:** Louisiana Iris, Virginia Iris ![Southern Blue Flag](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Iris_virginica.jpg&width=800) Photo: Frank Mayfield, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Iris_virginica.jpg) ## Appearance The Southern Blue Flag has striking blue-violet flowers, each with intricate yellow and white markings on its lower petals, resembling a landing strip for pollinators. Its upright, sword-like green leaves form dense clumps, making it distinct in wetland environments. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Asparagales - **Family:** Iridaceae - **Genus:** Iris ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples once used parts of this iris for traditional medicines! - Its name 'Iris' comes from the Greek word for rainbow, like its many colors! - Some types of iris can actually live for over 50 years! - This plant's seeds can float far away on water to start new plants! ## Special abilities - **Wet Feet:** Southern Blue Flag can thrive in consistently wet soil or shallow water, allowing it to colonize marshy areas. - **Underground Navigator:** Its thick, creeping rhizomes help Southern Blue Flag spread widely and anchor itself firmly in loose, wet soil. - **Landing Strip Guide:** The distinctive yellow and white markings on its petals guide insects directly to the pollen and nectar. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 60-90 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 7-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late_spring_to_early_summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — Gathers nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Spicebush Swallowtail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spicebush-swallowtail) (*Papilio troilus*) — Feeds on nectar, helping reproduction - **Eats:** [Muskrat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/muskrat) (*Ondatra zibethicus*) — Sometimes consumes rhizomes and leaves - **Shelter:** Mallard (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — Uses dense growth for cover and nesting ## Traits - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Southern 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 Southern Blue Flag? 60-90 cm ### How wide does Southern Blue Flag spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Southern Blue Flag? 7-10 cm ### When does Southern Blue Flag bloom? Late_spring_to_early_summer ### Is Southern Blue Flag edible? No ### Is Southern Blue Flag toxic? Mild ### What is Southern Blue Flag's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Ashley River Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ashley-river-historic-district) — South Carolina, US · Historic District - [Broadway Avenue Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/broadway-avenue-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Capitol Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/capitol-park-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Grand Circus Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-circus-park-historic-district) — Michigan, US · Historic District - [Greektown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/greektown) — Michigan, US · Neighborhood - [Monroe Avenue Commercial Buildings](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monroe-avenue-commercial-buildings) — Michigan, US · Historic Site [View all places to see Southern Blue Flag](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/southern-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: [Southern Blue Flag: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/southern-blue-flag)