Native Iris for sale this Sat at Knotty by Nature Natives in Durham
Southern Blue Flag Iris, Iris virginica, is starting to bloom in the nursery. These native Iris can be found all along the coast of NC and inward west into the Piedmont as far as where I'm located here in Orange County. Many don't consider iris to be much of a host plant, but it does support quite a few insect species including many butterflies and moths. https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/plant\_insects/plants/iris\_spp.html It's purple blooms emerge starting mid April and will typically bloom for about 3 weeks. It grows best in moist soils in full sun, but will tolerate some shade.
Another native Iris that I have available is Dwarf Iris, Iris verna v. Smalliana. Similar to the Dwarf Crested Iris, but with more slender leaves and smoother petal. Dwarf Iris prefers part sun with rich, moist soils, but is a bit more tolerant of drought than most Iris. These are mostly found in the Mountains of NC. Flowers emerge late winter/early spring before the leaves.
You can find both of these for sale on Saturdays 9-4 through the end of May at 5911 Mount Hermon Church Rd in Durham. You can view the entire inventory and/or order in advance through my website. https://www.knottybynaturetrees.com/category/all-products