Louisiana iris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louisiana iris |
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| "Black Gamecock", a popular Louisiana iris cultivar | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Iridaceae |
| Genus: | Iris |
| Subgenus: | Iris subg. Limniris |
| Section: | Iris sect. Limniris |
| Series: | Iris ser. Hexagonae |
| Species | |
The Louisiana iris is a special group of five different iris plant species. These beautiful flowers grow naturally in Louisiana and nearby areas of the southeastern United States. The five species are Iris fulva, Iris hexagona, Iris brevicaulis, Iris giganticaerulea, and Iris nelsonii.
Each of these species looks a bit different and grows in slightly different places. But they also have many things in common because they are closely related. Some of them even interbred (mixed their genes) over time, like the Iris nelsonii, which was discovered more recently.
People often group the five Louisiana irises into "The Reds" or "The Blues" based on their flower color. "The Blues" include Iris brevicaulis, Iris hexagona, and Iris giganticaerulea. They usually have blue or purple flowers, though sometimes you might find a rare white one. "The Reds" are Iris fulva and Iris nelsonii. Their flowers are typically red-orange, but you can sometimes spot a yellow one.
In the 1920s and 1930s, a scientist named Dr. John K. Small studied irises in Florida and Louisiana. He named many new species, but later research showed that most of them were actually the same as Iris savannarum.
In 1990, the Louisiana iris was chosen as the official state wildflower of Louisiana. The state flower is the magnolia blossom.
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What's in a Name?
The name Hexagonae for this group of irises comes from Iris hexagona. This was the first Louisiana iris species discovered in this group. The general name "Louisiana iris" was first used by the famous artist and naturalist John James Audubon. In 1821, his assistant, Joseph Mason, painted an Iris fulva flower. Audubon then added his pair of parula warblers (small birds) to the painting. He called the whole artwork 'Louisiana Flag'.
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Meet the Species: Iris fulva
Iris fulva is often called the "copper iris." It's known for its rusty red to brownish-orange color, though you can find rare yellow ones too. This species was first named in 1812 after a plant found near New Orleans. Its red color has helped create many of the red hybrid irises we see today. You can find Iris fulva in Louisiana and other parts of the Mississippi Valley, like Illinois, Kentucky, and Ohio. Its flowers are quite large, about 3-4 inches wide, and their petals often droop downwards.
Meet the Species: Iris hexagona
Iris hexagona is the oldest Louisiana iris species that was discovered. It was first named in South Carolina in 1788. Sometimes, people confuse it with Iris giganticaerulea. Iris hexagona also grows in South Carolina and Florida. In Louisiana, scientists debate if this species came from Iris giganticaerulea or if it's the same plant found in other states. There are differences in the flowers' look, color, and shape between the Florida and South Carolina types. Scientists are still trying to figure out how to classify them. In Louisiana, Iris hexagona likes to grow in wet places with full or partial shade, such as ditches, canals, swamps, and slow-moving streams.
Meet the Species: Iris brevicaulis
Iris brevicaulis is also known as the "ZigZag iris" or "Lamance iris." It's the smallest of the Louisiana irises. You can spot it by its zigzag-shaped stem and many wide-open flower parts. This species doesn't need as much water as the others. It can grow in mud or near water, not just in water bodies. One special thing about it is that it blooms later than the other blue irises. This iris is also very tough and strong, which makes it important for creating new types of cultivated iris plants. It grows in the higher parts of Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Its growth pattern extends north into the Mississippi Valley, reaching Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois, and Ohio.
Meet the Species: Iris giganticaerulea
Iris giganticaerulea is the most famous Louisiana iris. This large blue plant is native to the Gulf Coast and is often seen in New Orleans. In Louisiana, it naturally grows in freshwater marshes, swamps, and wet woodlands. However, only a few wild Iris giganticaerulea plants are left in Louisiana wetlands, about 20 to 30 miles north of New Orleans. You can also find some growing naturally along the coasts of Texas and Mississippi.
Meet the Species: Iris nelsonii
Iris nelsonii is called the "Abbeville Red" or "Super Fulva." It was the most recently discovered and named Louisiana iris. W. B. MacMillan found it in 1938, and Randolph named it in 1966. Its common name comes from its home in a special area in Southeast Abbeville, Louisiana. These irises grow in cypress swamps with shallow water or other shallow, shady water habitats. Scientists think this species came about because different Louisiana iris species (like I. fulva, I. giganticaerulea, and I. brevicaulis) interbred for many years in isolated areas. This created a new, stable species. Because it was discovered more recently, Iris nelsonii is very popular for creating many new types of Louisiana iris plants today. It looks similar to Iris fulva but grows taller and has bigger flowers. It stays true to the red iris family with red or yellow colors. Its flowers usually bloom from mid to late April.
Meet the Species: Iris savannarum
Iris savannarum is known as the prairie iris or savanna iris. Dr. John K. Small first described it in 1925. For a while, people thought it was just a type of Iris hexagona. But then, different plant experts showed that it was unique enough in its shape and flower to be considered its own separate species.
Protecting Iris nelsonii
The special Iris nelsonii species can only be found in the Turkey Island Swamp in Vermillion Parish, Louisiana. This land is privately owned. Two botanists, Amity Bass and Chris Reid, are working to protect and save this species in Louisiana. They have been exploring the private land where the plant lives. They are also moving some of the plant's roots (rhizomes) to replant them in a nearby state park, Palmetto Island State Park.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is working with parks like Palmetto Island State Park to teach the public about saving Iris nelsonii. By replanting the species and creating educational displays, more people are learning about this unique plant. This awareness helped get money from the government in 2011, thanks to Representative Simone Champagne. This money allowed the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries to build the exhibit at Palmetto Island State Park.
The main concern for conservation is still the privately owned Turkey Island Swamp. It's very important to protect Iris nelsonii's natural home there. With the landowners' permission, surveys of the swamp are ongoing. If the swamp habitat is damaged, this unique Louisiana species could disappear.
One big threat to the swamp is that it's much drier and saltier now than it was in 1939 when the Abbeville Red was discovered. These changes are happening because of seasonal hurricanes in Louisiana and the wearing away of coastal wetlands, which then drains into the swamp. Also, farming and human-made changes to waterways have made the swamp drier. Scientists believe that the iris's continued growth in the swamp and the swamp's isolation are key to the iris's survival. If these factors are harmed, the future of the Abbeville Red could be in danger.
