Louisiana’s coastal landscape is known to contain vast beauty and uniqueness commonly seen through native Louisiana species, one being the Louisiana iris. Five of the many Louisiana native iris species gained the title of “Louisianans” due to Louisiana being the only location where they all occur together, with ranges along the Gulf Coast from Mississippi to Texas. The five “Louisianans” include: Iris brevicaulis, Iris fulva, Iris giganticaerulea, Iris hexagona and Iris nelsonii. The Louisiana iris is designated as the state wildflower.
The beautiful “Louisianans” can be found flourishing in damp or wet regions of freshwater and are commonly found in swamps, bogs, or on the banks of roadside ditches. Having little salt tolerance, the Louisiana iris is at risk of salt intrusion into its freshwater habitats. In order to protect the natural vegetation of our wetlands, CWPPRA is working to protect our coast by restoring the appropriate hydrology and salinity of affected regions.
CWPPRA 