Yellow flag

A recent entry in my ‘purely botanical’ sketchbook. This yellow flag iris is quite commonly planted around bogs or ponds. This one grows at Descanso gardens near a pond with a weeping willow. This iris, native to Asia and Europe, became known as the French fleur-de-lis, and the word “flag” may refer to a non-English word meaning rush or reed.

In some US states, pseudarcorus is considered a noxious weed because it grows by both underground tubers and reeds and can be invasive. We have a small patch of them in our yard and they have been very well contained in dry years. In very wet seasons they do spread a little bit.

Watercolor in a coptic bound Paperblanks journal with creamy paper

Comments

  1. Lin
    April 21, 2006

    BEAUTIFUL, Karen!! Your botanical sketches are so well well done!

  2. Sioux
    April 22, 2006

    Gorgeous, Karen!

  3. hfm
    April 22, 2006

    So pure, so sensitive.

  4. Starr
    April 23, 2006

    This is lovely, Karen. I am feeling the need to check out the botanical group! And I noticed you featured on Danny Gregory’s site – Congrats on that! Keep up the wonderful work – it is always so inspiring to see!

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