Iris hartwegii subsp. australis
Photo: parent species Iris hartwegii · (c) Brendan Black, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · licence
Family: Iridaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Iris hartwegii subsp. australis is a native California herb in the Iridaceae family, recognized by southern California mountains endemic.
Southern iris is a California native perennial found in the eastern San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto Mountains in dry pine forest slopes at elevations of 1,200 to 2,300 meters. Flowering from May to June, this plant produces blue-violet to purple flowers with cream or white throats, typically appearing in pairs. Growing with short stems 8 to 30 centimeters tall, it emerges from a rhizome 6 to 8 millimeters in diameter. Its basal leaves are 7 to 10 millimeters wide, with a base that is generally pinkish in color. The flower has a distinctive barrel-shaped perianth tube 7 to 10 millimeters long, creating a unique profile among mountain irises.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 4 sympatric species; southern California mountains endemic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Dry slopes in pine forest
Elevation: 1200-2300 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Riverside, Mariposa
Bloom period
Iris hartwegii subsp. australis blooms May-Jun.
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 hartwegii subsp. australis native to California?
Yes. Iris hartwegii subsp. australis is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Iris hartwegii subsp. australis bloom?
Iris hartwegii subsp. australis blooms May-Jun.
Where in California does Iris hartwegii subsp. australis grow?
Iris hartwegii subsp. australis occurs in San Bernardino, Riverside, Mariposa, at elevations of 1200-2300 m.
What plant family does Iris hartwegii subsp. australis belong to?
Iris hartwegii subsp. australis is in the Iridaceae family, genus Iris.
What habitat does Iris hartwegii subsp. australis grow in?
Iris hartwegii subsp. australis grows in Common. Dry slopes in pine forest.
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.