Common Name (preferred): Missouri Iris
Scientific Name: Iris missouriensis
Size (height) English & Metric: 12-24" (30-62cm)
Habitat: Open, moist grassy meadows
Flowering Season (for Bryce region): Spring
Range: Great Plains to Colorado Plateau

General Description:
This flower prefers moist soils. It has very charismatic blue to violet flowers with a bit of deep yellow running down the center of each flower petal. The leaves are sword-like.

Plant Lore:
This plant is almost as deadly as it is beautiful. The leaves have a high concentration of irisin, which is a chemical that is poisonous to livestock and people alike. Symptoms can become as extreme as to include severe and simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea.

When and where to see at Bryce:
This flower can be found in large groups in open, moist grassy meadows at the lower elevations of the park and surrounding countryside. In drought years, try the area around the nearby Tropic Reservoir.

Further Reading:
Buchanan, Hayle 1992. Wildflowers of Southwestern Utah. Bryce Canyon Natural History Association. Bryce Canyon, Utah.