Iridaceae
Iris Family
5 genera
13 species
9 subspecies and varieties
13 species
9 subspecies and varieties
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Crocosmia ×crocosmiiflora – montbretia
Origin: Introduced from South Africa
Growth Duration: Perennial
Origin: Introduced from South Africa
Growth Duration: Perennial
• ssp. vernus – spring crocus
Iris foetidissima – stinking iris
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington; also in southwestern British Columbia and California.
Habitat: Fields, forest edge, and other disturbed areas at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington; also in southwestern British Columbia and California.
Habitat: Fields, forest edge, and other disturbed areas at low elevations.
Origin: Introduced from Europe
Flowers: May-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Iris germanica – bearded iris, German iris
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California, scattered eastward to eastern North America where widely distributed.
Habitat: Fields, ditches, forest edge, and other disturbed areas where escaping from cultivation at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from southern Europe
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington; southwestern British Columbia to California, scattered eastward to eastern North America where widely distributed.
Habitat: Fields, ditches, forest edge, and other disturbed areas where escaping from cultivation at low elevation.
Origin: Introduced from southern Europe
Flowers: April-May
Growth Duration: Perennial
Iris missouriensis – western blue flag, Rocky Mountain iris
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington, but also known from the Puget Sound area; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Common in vernally moist meadows, especially in sagebrush and Ponderosa pine forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly east of the Cascades crest in Washington, but also known from the Puget Sound area; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains.
Habitat: Common in vernally moist meadows, especially in sagebrush and Ponderosa pine forests.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Iris pseudacorus – pale yellow iris
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but more common west of the crest; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Montana; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Wetlands, lake and pond margins, irrigation ditches, backwaters, and other wet places where often disturbed; invasive.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but more common west of the crest; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho and Montana; also in eastern North America.
Habitat: Wetlands, lake and pond margins, irrigation ditches, backwaters, and other wet places where often disturbed; invasive.
Origin: Introduced from Eurasia
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Iris tenax – Oregon flag, tough-leaf iris
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Prairies, meadows, open oak and coniferous forests, at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Washington to California.
Habitat: Prairies, meadows, open oak and coniferous forests, at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. tenax – Oregon flag, tough-leaf iris
Olsynium douglasii – grass-widow, purple-eyed grass-widow
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but more widespread east of the crest; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.
Habitat: Coastal bluffs, prairies, open rocky areas, oak and ponderosa pine woodlands, sagebrush and juniper desert, where moist in early spring.
Origin: Native
Flowers: January-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington, but more widespread east of the crest; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho, Nevada, and Utah.
Habitat: Coastal bluffs, prairies, open rocky areas, oak and ponderosa pine woodlands, sagebrush and juniper desert, where moist in early spring.
Origin: Native
Flowers: January-June
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. douglasii – purple-eyed grass-widow
• var. inflatum – grass-widow, purple-eyed grass-widow
Sisyrinchium californicum – golden blue-eyed grass
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern Vancouver Island, B.C, to southern California.
Habitat: Wet ground, especially at the edges of lakes and bogs, at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-November
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; southern Vancouver Island, B.C, to southern California.
Habitat: Wet ground, especially at the edges of lakes and bogs, at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: March-November
Growth Duration: Perennial
Sisyrinchium idahoense – Idaho blue-eyed grass
Distribution: Widely distributed across Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana and New Mexico.
Habitat: Vernally wet areas and marshes, near sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Widely distributed across Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Montana and New Mexico.
Habitat: Vernally wet areas and marshes, near sea level to mid-elevations in the mountains.
Origin: Native
Flowers: April-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
• var. idahoense – Idaho blue-eyed grass
• var. macounii – Macoun's blue-eyed grass
• var. occidentale – western blue-eyed grass
• var. segetum – cornfield blue-eyed grass, prairie grass
Sisyrinchium littorale – Alaska blue-eyed grass, shore blue-eyed grass
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in coastal areas in Washington; Alaska to Oregon
Habitat: Coastal moist, sandy or grassy areas, interdunal depressions, edges of streams and lakes
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in coastal areas in Washington; Alaska to Oregon
Habitat: Coastal moist, sandy or grassy areas, interdunal depressions, edges of streams and lakes
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Sisyrinchium montanum – strict blue-eyed grass
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in north-central Washington; Yukon Territory to Washington, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Moist meadows, stream banks, and for openings at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in north-central Washington; Yukon Territory to Washington, east to the Rocky Mountains, northern Great Plains, Great Lakes region, and northeastern North America.
Habitat: Moist meadows, stream banks, and for openings at low to middle elevations.
Origin: Native
Flowers: May-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Sisyrinchium sarmentosum – Suksdorf's blue-eyed grass
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in south-central Washington; south-central Washington to north-central Oregon.
Habitat: Moist, grassy areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in south-central Washington; south-central Washington to north-central Oregon.
Habitat: Moist, grassy areas.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-August
Growth Duration: Perennial
Sisyrinchium septentrionale – northern blue-eyed grass
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in northeastern Washington; Northwest Territory to northeastern Washington, east to Saskatchewan.
Habitat: Mesic to dry meadows and stream banks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
Distribution: Occurring east of the Cascades crest in northeastern Washington; Northwest Territory to northeastern Washington, east to Saskatchewan.
Habitat: Mesic to dry meadows and stream banks.
Origin: Native
Flowers: June-July
Growth Duration: Perennial
