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Fernald's iris

Iris fernaldii

Fernald's iris
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 3.0

Fernald's iris is a rhizome-spreading native iris of northern California's coast ranges and Bay Area, grown in native and drought-tolerant gardens. It thrives in full sun and needs good drainage and a dry summer.

Family
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Grows as
Bulb
Light
Full sun
Water
Water occasionally in summer in warm climates; otherwise rely on winter rain and avoid soggy soil.
Soil
Well-drained soil, lean or sandy loam is fine.
Temperature
Cool temperate climates suit it best; hardy to mild winters, avoid prolonged waterlogged cold.
How easy
Easy
Native range
NW. California
Climate
temperate

About

Iris fernaldii, commonly known as Fernald's iris, is a species of iris endemic to western Northern California.

It is native to the Inner and Outer North California Coast Ranges, such as the Santa Cruz Mountains, and surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. It is found between 164–6,562 feet (50–2,000 m) in elevation. It grows in full sun near the coast, and afternoon shade inland.

How to grow it

Iris fernaldii is cultivated as an ornamental plant by specialty plant nurseries. It is used in traditional flower beds, native plant and habitat gardens, drought tolerant and natural landscaping, and for habitat restoration projects. Occasional summer irrigation is needed in warmer climates.

Other Iris plants

Iris acutiloba subsp. lineolata · Iris acutiloba · Iris adriatica · Iris afghanica · Iris alberti · Iris albomarginata · Iris alexeenkoi · Single Bract Iris · Iris antilibanotica · Stool iris · Iris arenaria · Iris assadiana

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Iris fernaldii by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.

The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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