There is a stand of Blue flag iris down about 1/4 mile west of the Yellow flag iris. Blue flag as recently as two years ago was a prolific but it has been crowded out by it’s more aggressive cousin, Yellow Flag Iris. There are several varieties of Blue flag but I have yet to see anything but the Northern variety in Gallup Park. The stand is only about 10 feet north of the pathway which makes it easy to spot in late May.
You can tell Wild Blue Flag (Iris versicolor) from I. virginica (Southern Blue Flag) by the prominent yellow spot in the throat area and the sword-like leaves do not overtop the flower.
Wild Blue Flag makes an excellent addition to a garden in particularly moist areas and with full sun or partial shade.
Photo by Stewart Nelson, 2018, ©️ Some rights reserved
Photo by Stewart Nelson, 2018, ©️ Some rights reserved