Leaf
Emőke Dénes, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 2.5
Yellow iris
Iris pseudacorus L.
Also known as: Yellow flag, Water flag
Family: Iridaceae
60 cm to 1.5 m tall
Riverbanks, marshes, ditches, wetlands
Flowering: May – July
Full sun
Part shade
Very hardy, to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The big yellow iris emblematic of banks and ditches, visible from afar in May-June.
🍃 Leaves
Long, ribbon-like, upright in a fan, like swords
🌸 Flowers
Large bright yellow flowers, drooping outer petals marked with brown
🍎 Fruits
Large three-angled capsule, brown seeds
🪵 Bark
Thick rhizome creeping in the mud
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, western Asia, North Africa; very common in wetlands, banks and ditches in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Large yellow flowers visited by big bumblebees and bees suited to its floral structure.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Pond margins, banks, garden wetlands; a plant for reed-bed treatment and phytoremediation.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
Rhizome toxic if ingested (digestive irritant); may cause contact dermatitis in sensitive people.
🌿 Other Iridaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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