Copper Iris

Appearance

"Iris fulva" has slender greenish-brown rhizome that has the scars of old leaves. They are approximately 1.5–2 cm in diameter, shallow rooted with fibrous roots underneath and can form many branches. Which eventually spread out to create large clumps around 1–2 feet wide.

It grows new leaves early in the autumn, which can pass through the winter into the spring. This means that the plant is generally only leafless around August time. The leaves are bright green, blade-like, lightly ribbed and rise from the base of the plant but then arch away from the stem. They can measure between 60–100 cm long, and between 1–2 cm wide. It was noted by Dykes, that when held up the light, the leaves have black dots, which are similar to water-irises leaves. Some leaves emerge along the flower stem.

The flower stem is generally straight with one or two branches, and can reach up to a height of between 45–80 cm. tall. The stem is mid-green in colour, with 1–3 alternate leaves rising along the stem, that are very similar to the basal leaves.

It normally flowers between spring and early summer, between April and June, with one or two flowers per axil of each alternate leaf along the stem. There can be as many as 4–6 flowers per stem. In Australia and New Zealand, they bloom between September and November. The blooming period lasts for about 3 weeks. Although the individual flowers are fairly short-lived.

The flowers are slightly fragrant, and come in a range of shades of red, from copper-red, to brick-red, to rust-red, to deep red, and bronze. Occasionally there are yellow flowered forms. Unlike many other irises, the flower on the falls and standards are the same colour.

It has a 2–2.5 cm perianth tube.

"Iris fulva" is unusual, as its six-petalled flowers all droop away from the middle section. The flowers are wide spread, have three drooping falls, which are 1–1.25 in wide and 2.25–2.5 in long, and three drooping standards, which are 4.5 cm long and 5–7 cm across. The base of each flower is tubular and has a yellowish centre.

The flower has short styles which are about 2 cm long. Inside the flower, the stigma has two small pointed teeth. The filaments are yellow, the anthers are cream, reaching the stigma, the pollen is cream.

"Iris brevicaulis" and "Iris fulva" share very similar looking seed-pods and seeds.
The green capsules are six-angled, elliptical to oval measuring between 4.5–8 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. The seeds are stored in two rows within the capsules. The seeds are flat and irregular, measuring 10-15mm wide. Like other Louisiana irises they are covered in a cork-like substance, which allows them to float on the water to new locations.

Distribution

It is native to North America.

Status

"Iris fulva" is listed as 'endangered' in the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, and listed as 'threatened' in Illinois.

This is due to the loss of habitat. Which are under threats from dredging operations, also swamps that are being drained and 'toxic' farm herbicides running into ditches and streams.

Habitat

"Iris fulva" is found in freshwater, in marshes, stream banks, field or roadside ditches, in drainage canals, swamps, and wet pastures. It is normally found in water up to 6 inches deep.

Defense

Some parts of the iris are poisonous. Because both the foliage and rhizomes are deadly toxic, most mammalian herbivores usually leave iris untouched, although the muskrat occasionally feeds on their rhizomes and lower stems and the white-tailed deer sometimes nibbles the leaf edges.