Wild iris

From the Volo Bog State Natural Area in Lake County, Illinois, on June 7th, here’s a wild iris flower, Iris virginica.

Written by Steve Schwartzman

July 23, 2016 at 5:03 AM

Posted in nature photography

Tagged with bog, flower, Illinois, nature, purple, wildflower

19 Responses

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Oh Steven, this is very beautiful. I love love love blue Iris. Btw, my last post is a delicious vegetarian recipe, did you see it,? Carina

anyone4curryandotherthings

July 23, 2016 at 5:13 AM

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- I, too, was taken with these flowers, Carina, and took pictures from various angles. Irises are a common garden flower in the United States but these were growing wild in the bog.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 7:03 AM
  
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Beautiful close up. Love the colours and pattern.

Beautywhizz

July 23, 2016 at 5:38 AM

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- This was a wildflower that called out for an abstract portrayal, what with its surfaces, lines and patterns.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 7:06 AM
  
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This might channel Mick Jagger into the flower world. Except that the iris is beautiful.
The pose does remind me of the red lips tee and poster.

Dianne

July 23, 2016 at 6:54 AM

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- I didn’t originally make the connection to Mick Jagger, but a little searching online led me to the 1967 album “Flowers.” Instead of “Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday” we can have “Hello, lovely Iris.” On the Internet I also saw photographs of the so-called Mick Jagger flower:
  
  http://www.thatericalper.com/2013/01/16/photo-bloom-like-jagger-the-striking-psychotria-elata-flower-is-a-dead-ringer-for-mick-jaggers-lips/
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 7:16 AM
  
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I never see an iris these days without thinking about Brit Bailey, and his burial next to the flag pond down in Brazoria. It was his story that introduced me to “flag” as a common name for these beauties. I call them — and the plants I’ve found around them — “ditch diamonds.”

Early this spring, I made it past the Brazoria refuge, all the way down to San Bernard. The ditches were filled with iris (on March 20 — interesting to compare dates). I think they might all have been this species, albeit in different colors, including a creamy yellow. The cultivars can be beautiful, but generally speaking, I prefer the natives.

I was wearing my boots, but boots alone weren’t enough to get a photo with this degree of beautiful detail — even the pollen grains. They’re such a graceful flower.

shoreacres

July 23, 2016 at 7:18 AM

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- In this drier part of the state I don’t find wild irises, but I could borrow your alliterative phrase “ditch diamonds” and apply it to other wildflowers. For example, there’s a ditch on one side of the northern reaches of Burnet Rd. that has produced good stands of basket-flowers for several years in a row.
  
  Until my interest in native plants I’d never run across flag as a name for an iris. It’s a different word from the kind of flag that flies from a pole. I also hadn’t heard of Brit Bailey, who I see “became known for his eccentric behavior and frequently engaged in brawls. He died on December 6, 1832, probably from cholera. He was buried in the family graveyard on Bailey’s Prairie. His will, still extant, required that he be buried standing up and facing the West; legend has added ‘with my rifle at my side and a jug of whiskey at my feet.’ ” His ghost is said to wander the area as a white round ball of light, known as Bailey’s Light, searching for more whiskey.
  
  And speaking of boots, after coming close to swamping my hip-high boots in a section of Bull Creek a couple of weeks ago, I went to Academy and splurged on a good pair of waders. Now I can fish for pictures in places where I couldn’t before.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 7:39 AM
  
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Splendid shot, Steven. Really sharp!

elmdriveimages

July 23, 2016 at 7:31 AM

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- Once again I’ll hand the credit to my 100mm macro lens. Of my various lenses, it’s the one I usually use the most.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 7:42 AM
  
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I’m going to be snickering about the Mick Jagger flower all day after seeing that image.

You’ve done a fabulous job with this Iris.

melissabluefineart

July 23, 2016 at 8:57 AM

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- Thanks, Melissa. There were some other takes on the wild irises that I also liked but I had to settle on one. Okay, “had to” isn’t correct, but I normally post only one picture at a time of each subject that I’ve photographed, so that one view doesn’t take away from another. I justify (to myself, mostly) an exception like the recent coreopsis post from Illinois Beach, where the views from front and back were so different.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 9:03 AM
  
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  - I usually do the same for my posts, so I understand. It can be difficult!
    
    melissabluefineart
    
    July 23, 2016 at 9:11 AM
    
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    - It’s gratifying when we have an embarrassment of riches.
      
      Steve Schwartzman
      
      July 23, 2016 at 9:15 AM
      
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What an absolutely fantastic picture! WOW!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Pit

Pit

July 23, 2016 at 11:34 AM

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- I appreciate your Fredericksburg enthusiasm. Being in a different place with a different climate opened up new opportunities for pictures.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 11:41 AM
  
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  - 🙂
    
    Pit
    
    July 23, 2016 at 11:48 AM
    
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There is something about the vibrancy of iris blooms ..

Julie@frogpondfarm

July 23, 2016 at 5:06 PM

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- There is indeed. There are times when I wish I could borrow some of that vibrancy.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  July 23, 2016 at 5:10 PM
  
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