Iris fernaldii
Fernald's iris
(c) Don Loarie, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Iridaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Iris fernaldii (Fernald's iris) is a native California herb in the Iridaceae family, recognized by gray-green when dry and gradual tube widening.
Fernald's iris is a California native perennial found in southern North Coast Ranges, southern North Coast Inner, northern Central Coast, and San Francisco Bay Area in shady places at elevations of 50 to 2,000 meters. Flowering in April, this plant produces yellow flowers with darker veining, elegantly shaped with sepals 5 to 7 centimeters long and elliptic petals. Growing with an unbranched stem 20 to 40 centimeters tall, it emerges from a rhizome 4 to 7 millimeters in diameter. Its basal leaves are 6 to 8 millimeters wide, with 1 to 3 cauline leaves similar in form, and the plant typically dries to a distinctive gray-green color. The flower emerges from opposite bracts enclosing a narrow, gradually funnel-shaped perianth tube 35 to 60 millimeters long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 9 sympatric species; gray-green when dry and gradual tube widening
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Shady places
Elevation: 50-2000 m
California counties: Sonoma, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Marin, Lake, Solano, Glenn, Colusa, Yolo
Bloom period
Iris fernaldii blooms Apr.
How to tell it apart
vs Dietes: Iris has broad petal-like style branches; Dietes has thread-like styles and flowers lasting only one day.; vs Canna: Iris has six-parted flowers with drooping sepals; Canna has asymmetric flowers with one petal-like stamen.; vs Hemerocallis: Iris has petal-like style branches opposite stamens; Hemerocallis has simple thread-like styles and six equal tepals.; vs Typha: Iris has showy six-parted flowers; Typha has dense brown cylindrical flower spikes (cattails).; vs Sisyrinchium: Iris has large flowers with drooping outer sepals; Sisyrinchium has small flat flowers with six equal tepals.
Frequently asked questions
Is Iris fernaldii native to California?
Yes. Iris fernaldii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Iris fernaldii bloom?
Iris fernaldii blooms Apr.
Where in California does Iris fernaldii grow?
Iris fernaldii occurs in Sonoma, Napa, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Marin, Lake, Solano, Glenn and other counties, at elevations of 50-2000 m.
What plant family does Iris fernaldii belong to?
Iris fernaldii is in the Iridaceae family, genus Iris.
What habitat does Iris fernaldii grow in?
Iris fernaldii grows in Common. Shady places.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.