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Douglas Iris (Iris douglasiana) is a member of the Iris family (Iridaceae). It is a perennial and reproduces vegetatively from creeping rhizomes and by seed. It grows profusely along the coast from Central California to Oregon. In most locations blooms begin appearing in February and frequently last through July. It is most commonly found in shades of light blue to dark purple; occasionally white, and in rare instances yellow. Because it is a hardy plant, unpalatable to livestock, many in the agrarian industry consider it to be a noxious weed. The plant is named after David Douglas the Scotch botanist who studied western flora in the early nineteenth century. Native Americans used it to brew a tea to induce vomiting and made rope and basketry from its leaves.
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