Yellow Flag Iris

Did you know

• The yellow flag iris is widely believed to be the original 'fleur-de-lis' adopted as the symbol of French royalty—King Clovis I supposedly chose it in the 6th century after escaping enemies by crossing a river marked by yellow flags.
• The plant is one of the few irises that grows directly in standing water, with its roots permanently submerged in shallow ponds and slow streams.
• Yellow flag rhizomes contain compounds that have been used to dye wool a soft greenish-yellow since medieval times—monastic dye recipes still survive that use the roots.
• Although stunningly beautiful, it's now one of the most invasive aquatic plants in North America, where it crowds out native cattails and rushes in wetlands across all 50 states.
• It is the only iris native to the British Isles—where it's called 'segg' or 'cheiper' in old country dialects—and a beloved symbol of English riverbanks in spring.

Color meanings

Uses

• Pond margins
• Constructed wetlands
• Naturalizing
• Cut flowers