This and other yellow flag iris plants (Iris pseudacorus) have started their short blooming period here in our damper areas. They’re reportedly the only completely yellow, large wild iris now growing naturally in North America.
They’re not native to North America; they’re the progeny of garden escapees that are not on anyone’s Most Wanted List. They’ve naturalized themselves into perennial wildflowers that are spreading rapidly in Maine and elsewhere, according to the reports. That’s not good; these handsome little devils are extremely invasive.
The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry states that they may be controlled with chemicals or by digging them up (wear gloves to protect against their sharp leaves). It’s best to bag and dispose of them with the garbage. Note, however, that special rules apply to using herbicides to control plants in or near wetlands and water bodies in Maine. (Images taken in Brooklin, Maine, on June 10, 2024.)