Northern Blue Flag (Iris versicolor) is in the iris family family (Iridaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,728 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from June to June, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Northern Blue Flag: observations by month (U.S.)
About Northern Blue Flag
Iris versicolor is also commonly known as the blue flag, harlequin blueflag, larger blue flag, northern blue flag, and poison flag, plus other variations of these names, and in Britain and Ireland as purple iris.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Northern Blue Flag by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vermont | 369 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Maine | 282 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Minnesota | 258 | June | Jun–Jul |
| New York | 179 | June | May–Jun |
| Massachusetts | 138 | June | May–Jun |
| New Hampshire | 122 | June | Jun–Jun |
| New Jersey | 74 | May | May–Jun |
| Wisconsin | 71 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Michigan | 62 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Maryland | 52 | May | May–Jun |
| Pennsylvania | 44 | June | May–Jun |
| Connecticut | 23 | June | May–Jun |
| Delaware | 14 | May | May–May |
| Ohio | 11 | May | May–Jun |
| Virginia | 11 | May | Apr–May |
| Rhode Island | 7 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (iris family)
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Northern Blue Flag?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from June to June.
Where is Northern Blue Flag most often seen?
The most observations come from Vermont, Maine, Minnesota.