A beautiful flower for Mother's Day

By Aaron Horrell

This nice-looking flower is the copper iris. It is a perennial plant that can grow from 2 to 3 feet tall. It prefers a lot of sunshine but can do well in shaded areas with limited competitive vegetation.

The copper iris is native to North America, most commonly found in swampy low lying areas along the southern Mississippi River basin. In Missouri, it is rather uncommon, generally found in the wild swamps of Southeast Missouri.

The copper iris flower has a more open face than most other kinds of irises, making it more accessible for butterflies, moths and hummingbirds. This flower is easy to grow if its rhizomes are planted near or in shallow water. Bloom time in Southeast Missouri can be expected during the month of May. Each stem usually will have four flowers that bloom in turn, beginning with the top flower and going down. Each flower will bloom for only a few days.

Happy Mother's Day!