Prairie iris
Iris hexagona

This beautiful iris is found growing in rich soil throughout the state.  Not often found along the southeastern coast or in low nutrient wetlands.  Cow pastures and areas rich in phosphorus along the west coast will often have beautiful masses of these four inch wide blue flowers from March thru June.

The one inch thick rhizomes spread and branch. They create a mat of roots that hold the soil together in the area just below the grass line along lake edges. 

The soil should be moist yet three weeks of high water can drown this plant.  Better to kill some grass and plant in it’s place than to risk deep flooding along our man made lakes.  All aquatics should be planted at or above the grass line.  They will travel down to the water on their own.

You may need to add some fertilizer and keep out torpedo grass and other weeds.