Flower profile
Oregon iris
Iris tenax
Oregon iris is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Oregon it's most often seen in bloom in March–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Oregon
Quick look
Iris tenax is a species of Iris, known by the common names tough-leaved iris, Oregon iris, or more colloquially, flag.
- 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 3 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Oregon. NatureServe
- In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–June. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS lists its flower color as purple. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS gives its bloom period as mid spring. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists a mature height of about 1.5 ft. USDA PLANTS
- iNaturalist has 4,531 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #30 among the 110 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
Oregon iris gift ideas
Handmade oregon 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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Oregon iris art print
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Oregon iris greeting card
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Oregon iris mug
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Oregon iris earrings
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Oregon iris embroidery pattern
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Oregon iris sticker
When does it bloom?
In Oregon, most flowering sightings come in March–June.
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
- Oregon
- Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNR, not yet ranked in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
- 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 Oregon iris in 3 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
California, Oregon, Washington.
Oregon counties with USDA records: Benton, Clackamas, Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Douglas, Jackson, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Union, Washington, Yamhill.
More Oregon flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile IRTE.
- iNaturalist, Iris tenax: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Iris tenax (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Oregon: Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070).
- Oregon: Oregon noxious weed quarantine, A and B weeds (OAR 603-052-1200).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Iris tenax (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Judi Sanders via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.