Data provided by the participants of the Consortium of California Herbaria

View additional distribution information on the Jepson eflora

Iris macrosiphon (Long Tubed Iris) is a flowering plant in the Iridaceae (Iris) family, endemic to California in the Cascade Range Foothills, north and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, Inner North Coast Ranges, and San Francisco Bay Area, where it occurs in sunny grasslands, meadows, and open woodlands. The typical iris leaves are very slender, arching, strap-like, 2.5-5 millimeter wide, and blue-green in color. The flower is highly variable, from golden yellow to cream or pale lavender to deep blue-purple, generally with darker veins. In the wild it is usually found in clumps of the same general color. The flower stems are usually short (less than 25 centimeter) when in the sun and bear 2 flowers. It blooms in spring. It may go deciduous if subjected to summer heat or dryness.

Plant type

Perennial herb, Geophyte

Size

1 - 2 ft Tall
1 ft Wide

Growth rate

Moderate

Dormancy

Summer Semi-deciduous, Winter Deciduous

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Color

Blue, Cream, Lavender, Pink, Purple, White, Yellow

Flowering season

Spring

Special uses

Deer resistant

Sun

Full Sun, Partial Shade

Water

Low

Summer irrigation

Max 2x / month once established

Ease of care

Moderate

Cold tolerance

Tolerates cold to 15° F

Soil drainage

Medium

Soil description

Prefers damp loamy soil with plenty of organic matter.
Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Propagation

For propagating by seed: No treatment. Sow in early fall outdoors.

Sunset Zones

6*, 7, 8, 9, 14*, 15*, 16*, 17*, 18

Site type

Open slopes of northern California as part of woodland, forest, grassland or meadow

Plant communities

Foothill Woodland, Mixed Evergreen Forest, Northern Oak Woodland, Yellow Pine Forest

Use as an understory with most native trees of northern California

Caterpillars
Butterflies

Butterflies and moths supported

0 confirmed and 2 likely

Confirmed Likely

American Ear Moth

Amphipoea americana

Verbena Bud Moth

Endothenia hebesana