The photo at right shows the dried seed pod (from the 2005 season) and several seeds of western blue flag. Click the photo to see an enlarged view.

Western blue flag is a pretty wildflower which spreads easily via thick rhizomes to form broad clusters, which often appear ring-like as the older plants in the middle die. The stems arise 30-90 cm with 2-4 thick grass-like leaves 20-40 cm long and 5-10 mm wide.

The 1-4 light blue to violet-blue flowers measure about 7.5 cm across. The 3 petals often stand upright and they tend to be slightly shorter than the 3 spreading sepals which are oblanceolate in shape and 5-6 cm long. The throat may have a splash of yellow, and the petals and sepals may have blue penciled lines (as seen in the photos).

Western Blue Flag is common in meadows which remain moist until the time of flowering. It is most common in valley bottoms, but may be found in moist areas amongst sagebrush or beneath Ponderosa Pines.

Western blue flag is widespread east of the Cascade Mts, east to the Dakotas, north to British Columbia and south to northern Mexico.

Western blue flag is a pretty native iris for gardens east of the Cascades! In addition, the rootstalks contain a toxin known as irisin, which can be lethal if eaten.