Garden flower
Irises
Iris
Irises is a popular garden flower. In Tennessee it's most often seen in bloom in April.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026. Planted garden flowers are mostly excluded from research grade.
On our lists for: Tennessee
Quick look
Iris is a flowering plant genus of 320 accepted species with showy flowers. As well as being the scientific name, iris is also widely used as a common name for all Iris species, as well as some belonging to other closely related genera. A common name for some species is flags, while the plants of the subgenus Scorpiris are widely known as junos, particularly in horticulture. It is a popular garden flower.
- 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 introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 1 states. USDA PLANTS
- In Tennessee, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 4,246 research-grade sightings of it in Tennessee, ranking #5 among the 112 flowers on our Tennessee list. iNaturalist
Irises gift ideas
Handmade irises 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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Irises art print
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Irises greeting card
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Irises mug
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Irises earrings
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Irises embroidery pattern
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Irises sticker
When does it bloom?
In Tennessee, most flowering sightings come in April.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe
- Unknown We couldn't find this name in NatureServe Explorer. NatureServe
- Tennessee
- n/a Tennessee's list is by species, so a whole genus isn't assessed. TN rule 0400-06-02-.04
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: “CAUSES ONLY LOW TOXICITY IF EATEN. SKIN IRRITATION MINOR, OR LASTING ONLY FOR A FEW MINUTES. Nausea, salivation, vomiting, abdominal pain, lethargy, diarrhea, elevated temperature following ingestion; skin irritation upon contact with seeds, rootstock, or…” 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 irises in 1 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Kentucky.
More Tennessee flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile IRFU2.
- iNaturalist, Iris: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Iris (plant) (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Tenn. Code § 4-1-307: Tennessee state cultivated flower.
- 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).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Jacob Weston via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.