thewesternisles.co.uk

Western Isles Wildflowers

Western Isles wildflowers is a collection of information about our Hebridean wildflowers including identification hints, traditional herbal uses and general plant lore.

 

Purple Flag

Iris versicolor

Purple Flag in the Western Isles

We have a colony of purple flag - Iris versicolor growing in the Isle of Harris. This started as an escaped culivated plant, and it is a protected species listed in the Red Data Book.

Purple flag is common in moist meadows, marshes, and along stream banks in northern North America.

In the US purple flag is sometimes used used herbally, however it can cause severe nausea, vomiting, purging, and gastrointestinal cramping if not prepared correctly.

Purple flag is also known as flag lily, flag lily, dragon flower, poison flag, American blue flag, larger blue flag, blue flag iris, clajeux, harlequin blueflag, dagger flower, fleur-de-lis, flower-de-luce, liver lily, snake lily, water flag, and wild iris!

Yellow flag is a relative of the purple flag and is a common native plant of the Western Isles. Purple flag is shown in the photograph above in full flower on the 1st June 2007. On this date the yellow flag was in flower, but still a couple of weeks at least away from being at it's peak.

Photography © Suzanne Harris
Leverburgh to Rodel area - Isle of Harris - Outer Hebrides (Western Isles)
1st June, 2007