Iris pseudacorus
Horticultural iris
(c) E. Borchert, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by E. Borchert · licence
Family: Iridaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Conservation status: Cal-IPC Yes
Iris pseudacorus (Horticultural iris) is a non-native California herb in the Iridaceae family, recognized by large size and aquatic habitat diagnostic.
Horticultural iris is a naturalized perennial found in the Klamath Ranges, northern Coast Ranges, northern and central Sierra Nevada Foothills, western edge of central Sierra Nevada, Central Valley, Central Western California, Southern California Coast, and Transverse Ranges in pond margins and estuaries at elevations of 100 to 1,400 meters. Flowering from April to June, this plant produces bright yellow or cream flowers with prominent brown veins, featuring large sepals 5 to 8 centimeters long and 35 to 50 millimeters wide. Growing with branched stems 50 to 150 centimeters tall emerging from thick rhizomes 30 to 40 millimeters in diameter, it has stiff basal leaves 20 to 35 millimeters wide with a conspicuous midvein. Its leaves include 3 to 6 cauline leaves similar to the basal leaves, with flowers arranged in branches containing 3 to 6 blooms. The fruit develops 5 to 8 centimeters long, completing this distinctive naturalized iris's reproductive cycle.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 16 sympatric species; large size and aquatic habitat diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Common. Pond margins, estuaries
Elevation: 100-1400 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern, Riverside, Orange, Madera, Sacramento, San Diego, Solano, Siskiyou, Merced, San Luis Obispo, Contra Costa, Butte, Shasta, Marin, San Mateo, Mendocino, Monterey
Outside California: most of United States, native to Europe, Asia
Bloom period
Iris pseudacorus blooms Apr-Jun.
Conservation status
Cal-IPC Yes
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 pseudacorus native to California?
No. Iris pseudacorus is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Iris pseudacorus bloom?
Iris pseudacorus blooms Apr-Jun.
Where in California does Iris pseudacorus grow?
Iris pseudacorus occurs in San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, Kern, Riverside, Orange, Madera and other counties, at elevations of 100-1400 m.
What plant family does Iris pseudacorus belong to?
Iris pseudacorus is in the Iridaceae family, genus Iris.
Is Iris pseudacorus invasive in California?
Iris pseudacorus is listed by Cal-IPC with an invasiveness rating of Yes.
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.