Yellow Iris

Iris pseudacorus

Found in swamps, marshes, streams, ponds, streambanks, tidal wetlands, cultivated as a water plant. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: Single or multiple flowering stems are 20 to 39 inches tall, usually shorter than or equaling leaves [21].
Light: Full sun
Soil moisture: Moist to standing water

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Bloom: March to July
Fruiting season: Late June to October

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Not yet recorded · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 4 Florida counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement.

1 of 3

Regional / representative. Shown: Southern coastal swamps, Florida to Virginia; state not identified, a neighboring state.Loblolly bay in a coastal swamp, Marian Ellis Rowan, 1901. Public domain. Source record.

Regional / representative. Shown: Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Georgia; representative pond ecosystem, a neighboring state.Georgia pond and emergent wetland, Robert 'Bob' Hynes, 1997. Public domain. Source record.

Habitats

Swamps; freshwater marshes; streams, rivers and their banks; ponds, lakes and their shores.

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there. All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

7CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Iris

Endothenia hebesanaVerbena Bud Moth
Moodna ostrinellaDarker Moodna
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Papaipema cataphractaBurdock Border, Potato-Stalk 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)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist 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

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Iridaceae
Hardiness: Zones 5a–9b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Yellow
Fruit begins: Late June
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Late March to July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Fruit begins · “Late June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Hardiness · “Zones 5a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “Single or multiple flowering stems are 20 to 39 inches (50-100 cm) tall, usually shorter than or equaling leaves [21].” · Fire Effects Information System: Iris pseudacorus (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers differs) · Source botanical description; original units and scope retained
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
primary_flower_color · “yellow” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Frequent standing water; Moist; Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Pale Yellow Iris

Conservation status

Florida rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Native alternatives

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