Dwarf Violet Iris

Iris verna

Strong

Native to Arkansas. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 100%

Height: 4–6 inches
Light: Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

Iris verna — flower photograph — no rights reserved · CC0 · Original photograph

Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial, from a bulb
Leaves: Semi-evergreen
Bloom: Spring

Not yet recorded · Spread

Recorded in 1 Arkansas county.

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

9CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including AR

Genus host records with ranges including AR · Iris

Amphipoea americanaAmerican Ear Moth, American Borer
Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk Borer
Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Xanthopastis regnatrixConvict Caterpillar, Spanish Quaker, Spanish Moth

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

15BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Iris

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Iris

Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Iridaceae
Hardiness: Zones 6a–8b
Soil pH: Acidic
Flower color: Blue, brown/copper, purple or white

What its natural habitat tells you

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Spring” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Flower color · “Blue, brown/copper, purple or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Hardiness · “Zones 6a–8b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “4–6 inches” · Tennessee Smart Yards · Published Tennessee growing guidance; exact cached scientific heading
Leaves · “Semi-evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Perennial, from a bulb” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Good drainage; Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; NC Extension Plant Toolbox, Tennessee Smart Yards differ)
Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Upland Dwarf Iris

Conservation status

Arkansas rank	S2
Global rank	G5
AR status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

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How to check your spot

Growing cautions

Spreads slowly. Spreads slowly by rhizomes. Tennessee Smart Yards

For planning only; these do not change the score or Fit.