Scientific synonyms include Iris boltoniana, Iris caurina, Iris dierinckii and Limniris versicolour. If your plant does seem to outgrow its spot, simply pull it out of the pond or pot, and divide it as needed.Iris Versicolor, also known as Blue Flag, has a number of other common names such as Poison Flag, Flag Lily, Liver Lily, Snake Lily, Dragon Flower, Dagger Flower, Water Flag, harlequin blue flag, larger blue flag, northern blue flag, purple iris, blue iris, Fleur-de-lis. It is unlikely to take over a pond when properly tended and is less aggressive than some other Iris varieties. Regular maintenance will help it channel its energy into healthy growth.īlue Flag Iris grows at a moderate rate. Remove dead leaves and flowers from your plant throughout the season. If your plant is still in a pot, however, you’ll want to use a once-a-year aquatic plant fertilizer. They get all the nutrients they need right from the water. Most marginals don’t need additional fertilizer if they’re planted directly in a pond or stream. Marginal plants are easy to care for year-round. Simply place the pad anywhere in the skimmer where the water will pass through, then remove the pad as soon as the water is clear.Īdd a flocculant like Rapid Clear for even faster results. If you like to keep your pond spotless and don’t want to wait for the dirt to settle, place a Fine Filter Pad ( available at Splash) in your skimmer to catch the extra tiny particles of dirt. This is normal and will clear up on its own if you have a skimmer. Regardless of how you choose to display your plant, you might see a little bit of soil make its way into your pond. If you choose to go this route, simply place the plant – soil and all – into the planter and fill in the remaining space with aquatic planting media.Īdd gravel to the top if desired, then slowly lower the planter into the pond at an angle to keep as much of the soil in the pot as possible. Moving your plant to a fabric planter will give it a little more space to spread its roots. For additional aesthetic appeal, cut away the top rim of the pot. Some people like to add a thin layer of gravel to the top of the plant for decoration or to contain dirt if the top of the pot is submerged. When choosing a spot, make sure your plant is safe from koi or other fish that might try to play football with an unsecured pot. If you keep your plant in the pot in which you bought it, simply place the pot in at least 2 inches of water and surround with rocks to prevent it from tipping over.

Then gently press the soil and roots against the pond liner and cover with enough rocks and gravel to keep it in place. You can do this by carefully dumping out the contents or cutting the pot away with a soil knife. To plant your Blue Flag Iris, remove the plant from the pot. This natural filtration helps prevent string algae and keeps your fish happy and healthy. Doing so not only takes away the burden of an unsightly pot but also gives your plant the ability to pull nutrients out of the water. We recommend planting Blue Flag Iris directly into the pond or stream whenever possible. You have three options when it comes to putting Irises in your pond: keeping them in the pot they come in, replanting them in a fabric plant pot or planting them directly in the pond.

They’re a perfect fit for streams, bogs or a shallow shelf in your pond. Blue Flag Irises prefer moist soil or shallow water up to 6 inches deep.

Bluej iris