Flower profile
Dwarf crested iris
Iris cristata
Dwarf crested iris is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 4 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in April–May.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arkansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee
Quick look
Iris cristata is a species in the genus Iris, and is part of the subgenus of Limniris. It is a rhizomatous perennial plant, endemic to the eastern United States. It has pale lavender flowers with a white patch and orange or yellow crest. It is a close relative to Iris lacustris, the only other crested iris native to North America. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant in temperate regions.
- 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 18 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and Arkansas. NatureServe
- In North Carolina, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–May. iNaturalist
- In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 3,104 research-grade sightings of it in North Carolina, ranking #49 among the 111 flowers on our North Carolina list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 2,930 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #21 among the 112 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,215 research-grade sightings of it in Kentucky, ranking #38 among the 110 flowers on our Kentucky list. iNaturalist
Dwarf crested iris gift ideas
Handmade dwarf crested iris gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Dwarf crested iris art print
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Dwarf crested iris greeting card
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Dwarf crested iris mug
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Dwarf crested iris earrings
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Dwarf crested iris embroidery pattern
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Dwarf crested iris sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 4 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | Native | April–May | 3,104 |
| Tennessee | Native | April | 2,930 |
| Kentucky | Native | April–May | 1,215 |
| Arkansas | Native | March–April | 887 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G5 Secure worldwide. NatureServe
- North Carolina
- Not listed Not on North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301). NatureServe: S5, secure in North Carolina. 02 NCAC 48F .0301
- Tennessee
- Not listed Not on Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Tennessee. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
- Kentucky
- Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
- Arkansas
- No list Arkansas has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Arkansas ranks instead. NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Arkansas.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: DC (SH), IL (S1), MD (S1), PA (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: low). Poisonous parts: roots, sap/juice, seeds. Symptoms they list: “Nausea, salivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, lethargy, elevated temperature following ingestion; skin irritation upon contact with seeds, rootstock, or cell sap. It causes only low toxicity if eaten. Skin irritation lasts for a few minutes. Highest…” NC State Extension
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 dwarf crested iris in 18 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia; District of Columbia.
North Carolina counties with USDA records: Alamance, Alexander, Alleghany, Anson, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Graham, Granville, Harnett, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Lee, Lincoln, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Moore, Orange, Person, Polk, Randolph, Richmond, Rowan, Rutherford, Stanly, Stokes, Swain, Transylvania, Vance, Wake, Warren, Watauga, Wilkes, Yancey.
Tennessee counties with USDA records: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Campbell, Cannon, Carter, Cheatham, Chester, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Cumberland, Davidson, DeKalb, Decatur, Dickson, Fentress, Franklin, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hamilton, Hardin, Hawkins, Henry, Hickman, Houston, Knox, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Macon, Marion, Meigs, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Overton, Perry, Pickett, Polk, Putnam, Rhea, Roane, Robertson, Rutherford, Scott, Sevier, Shelby, Stewart, Sullivan, Sumner, Unicoi, Union, Van Buren, Weakley, White, Williamson.
Kentucky counties with USDA records: Adair, Barren, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Breathitt, Bullitt, Calloway, Carlisle, Carter, Casey, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crittenden, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Fulton, Garrard, Grayson, Green, Greenup, Hardin, Harlan, Hart, Henderson, Hopkins, Jackson, Jefferson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Larue, Laurel, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, Lyon, Madison, Magoffin, Marion, Marshall, McCracken, McCreary, Meade, Menifee, Metcalfe, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Oldham, Perry, Pike, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Taylor, Todd, Trigg, Warren, Wayne, Whitley, Wolfe.
More North Carolina flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile IRCR.
- iNaturalist, Iris cristata: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Iris cristata (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Protected Plant Species List (02 NCAC 48F .0301).
- North Carolina: North Carolina Noxious Weed List (02 NCAC 48A .1702) (the list names any non-native Lythrum; we apply it to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which isn't native).
- Tennessee: Tennessee endangered plants (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0400-06-02-.04, Rare Plant Protection and Conservation Act).
- Tennessee: Tennessee Pest Plant List (Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0080-06-24-.02).
- Kentucky: Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026).
- Kentucky: Kentucky noxious weeds and invasive plants on state rights-of-way (KRS 176.051; species list from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet).
- Arkansas: Arkansas State Plant Board noxious weeds and prohibited plants (2 CAR § 50-101).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Iris cristata (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Alan Jeon via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.