Iris pseudacorus - Yellow Flag

Iris pseudacorus or yellow flag lives by the water's edge. In nature, it thrives in ditches or on the banks of fresh and stagnant water where its elegant golden flowers stand out under the spring sun.

The yellow flag iris is a semi-aquatic rhizomatous perennial, reaching up to 1m (3ft) or more high. It has evergreen, glabrous, slender and narrow leaves that taper to a point. Golden flowers grouped in twos or threes will appear at the top of a floral stem from April to early July. This iris is found in a large part of Europe as well as on the doorstep of Asia, and in the south it is found all around the Mediterranean. It is a perfect native that will thrive in any garden with a water feature. Its decorative and luminous flowers will brighten up your banks.

This is an iris with excellent hardiness and great adaptability. It prefers sunny and semi-shaded locations, with reeds, cattails or hostas, submerged permanently or for part of the year.

The flower of this wild iris served as a model for the famous "fleur de lys", a symbol of French royalty used since the Middle Ages.