Flower profile
Douglas iris
Iris douglasiana
Douglas iris (Iris douglasiana) is a flowering plant in the Iridaceae family, native in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly March–May across the U.S.
Douglas iris is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In California it's most often seen in bloom in March–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: California
Quick look
Iris douglasiana, the Douglas iris, is a common wildflower of the coastal regions of Northern and Central California and southern Oregon in the United States. It grows mainly at lower elevations and is most common in grasslands near the coast. The plant is commonly cultivated outside of its native range, and has been used by humans for its strong fibers and medicinal properties.
- It belongs to the Iridaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 2 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to California. NatureServe
- In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–May. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 10,713 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #87 among the 178 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
In California, most flowering sightings come in March–May.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- California
- Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
ASPCA's entry “Flag” (Iris species), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Salivation, vomiting, drooling,lethargy, diarrhea. Highest concentration in… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records douglas iris in 2 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
California, Oregon.
California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 20 counties across 2 states; the most are in California (15), Oregon (5).
Other Iris on Bloomipedia (11): Irises, Yellow iris, Dwarf crested iris, Western blue flag, Northern blue flag iris, Southern blue flag, Oregon iris, Dwarf iris, Beach-head iris, Dwarf lake iris.
More from the Iridaceae family (14 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Western blue-eyed grass, Blue pigroot, Grasswidow.
More California flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile IRDO.
- iNaturalist, Iris douglasiana: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Iris douglasiana (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
- California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Iris douglasiana (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Henrik Kibak via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.