Iris douglasiana
Common name: Douglas iris, Pacific coast iris
Iris douglasiana is one of three species of the Iris genus native to the west coast of North America. It is a common wildflower of the coastal regions of northwest and central California and southern Oregon in the US.
I. douglasiana is a beardless iris that grows from rhizomes. Its purplish-blue flowers appear from April to June, and two or three blooms are found on each long, thin, strongly upright stem. Flower colour can be variable because this perennial hybridizes freely with others of its species. I. douglasiana leaves are sword-shaped, dark green, and folded along the midrib.
Douglas iris was named in honour of the 19th century botanist David Douglas. Its genus name derives from the Greek for 'rainbow' referring to the variegated colouration of the flower. The goddess of the rainbow in Greek mythology was named Iris.
I. douglasiana was used by First Nations who used the strong leaf fibres to make fish nets and rope. This plant was also used as a food source and as a source of medicine.
Iris douglasiana can be found in the Woodland Garden in Bed 25. Ten were planted there in 1997. The photos were taken in May of 2025.
Text and photos by Kumi Sutcliffe.