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Marin County | Plant Groups

Marin Irises
These four Marin Irises are arranged in order of prominence. The most common, Douglas Iris, you’ll see in many open and wooded areas. Ground Iris, although less common, is still widespread and can be recognized since the flower grows close to the ground and has a long tube under the flower. You’ll be excited when you find Central Coast Iris, with its delicate long lavender and white petals. And Stinking Iris, the only non-native, you’ll only find on the Mt. Tamalpais side of the reservoirs.
Douglas Iris Iris douglasiana Common. Open hills, wooded areas. Iris Family Native	· Blooms Feb – June · Flower cream to purple, about 2.5” across. · One to three flowers on a stem, 6” – 18” tall. · Leaves narrow and long, with parallel veins. · Leaves underside paler than top.	Petals in 3s, with colorful veins. Color varies quite a bit.	Wooden seed casing in threes stays on flower after bloom finishes.	Multiple flowers near end of stem. Leaves paler underneath.
Ground Iris Iris macrosiphon Sunny grasslands Iris Family Native Only in California	· Blooms Mar - May · Only Marin Iris with a fragrance. · Flower about 2.5” across, color is variations on white, yellow or blue. · Single flower on each stem, low to the ground. · Tube below flower is longer (thus macrosiphon) than Douglas Iris. · Long leaves, parallel veins, underside same color as top.	Petals in 3s, often with dark veins.	Notice long tube (Perianth Tube) below the flower – 2 or 3 inches.	Flowers are low to the ground. Leaves same color both sides.
Central Coast Iris Iris longipetala Open hills and low wet fields. Iris Family Native Only in California	· Blooms Mar - May · Flower with long slender petals. Outer petals are white with lavender veins, and inner petals are all lavender. · Grows in clumps, often in low wet fields.	Outer petals white with lavender veins. Inner petals all lavender.	Many narrow petals often clumped together.	Plants grow in clumps, often in bogs.
Stinking Iris Iris foetidissima Only above Phoenix, Alpine, and Lagunitas Lake Iris Family Not Native	· Blooms June - July · Flowers dull bluish color · Leaves broader than other Marin irises. · Bruised leaf smells stinky · Prominent red berries last many months after flower.	Notice large seeds forming below flower.	Red seeds..	Leaves are broader than other Marin Irises.

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Reviewed by DLS 6/8/14.. Last Updated 6/24/2014 by BHS.

Note to botanists – this page uses common vocabulary, sacrificing more precise scientific terms in the interest of general communication. We hope the loss of precision in wording is, to some extent, made up for by photographs showing key identification points.\

Note to non-botanists – here is a botanical term you might like to know:

· Perianth – The part of the flower that surrounds the reproductive parts. In the case of a Ground Iris, the Perianth Tube, which is part of the flower as opposed to the stem, is two to three inches long.