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Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Iris fernaldii

Iris fernaldii R.C. Foster

Fernald's Iris

Iridaceae (Iris Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: IRFE

USDA Native Status: L48 (N)

The leaves of this iris are narrow and gray-green while the flowers are pale yellow. Flower stem is 8-16 in. tall and 2-flowered.

A member of the iris family (family Iridaceae) which consists of herbs growing from rhizomes, bulbs, or corms, with narrow basal leaves and showy clusters at the tips of long stalks. There are about 60 genera and 1,500 species, distributed in temperate and tropical regions. Among them, Iris, Freesia, Gladiolus, Bugle Lily, and Montbretia are popular ornamentals. Saffron dye is obtained from Crocus, and "essence of violets," used in perfumes, is extracted from the rhizomes of Iris.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 16 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Yellow
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul
Bloom Notes: Yellow to whitish with gray veins.

Distribution

USA: CA
Native Distribution: Santa Cruz to Sonoma, Lake & Solano Cos., CA
Native Habitat: Dry, sunny woods; partially shaded slopes

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
Soil Description: Dry-mesic, humus-rich soils.
Conditions Comments: Hybridizes readily with I. douglasiana and I. macrosiphon.

Benefit

Conspicuous Flowers: yes

Propagation

Seed Collection: Easily collected from the large capsules.
Commercially Avail: yes

Web Reference

Webref 37 - Calscape (2019) California Native Plant Society
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Iris fernaldii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Iris fernaldii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Iris fernaldii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-14
Research By: TWC Staff

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