Yellow Flag Iris – Identified

Q: I found this plant growing on the shoreline of the lake in my neighborhood . Can you identify the plant? Can the plant be propagated via the seed pods.

A: This is yellow flag iris, Iris pseudacoris.

You can easily propagate it from seeds but I hope you’ll grow the plant in a large tub away from the lake. Yellow flag iris is considered an invasive plant and your small patch can grow rapidly. Your lakeside neighbors might not appreciate it as much as you do.

Wait until the green buds are turning brown and have begun to crack. Remove them from the plant and open them up. You’ll find several brown flattened seed inside. You can plant them in a large container filled with lake mud and kept constantly moist. They will sprout in a couple of months.