These beautiful yellow flowers brighten the shore in Corry’s Field between June and August. Not quite the ‘Field of Yellow Irises at Giverny‘ by Claude Monet, but beautiful all the same.

In some places it has escaped from cultivation to invade marshy areas , out-competing other plants in the ecosystem. When it establishes, it is difficult to remove on a large scale. It has been banned in some areas but is still widely sold in others for use in gardens.

The rhizome has historically been used as an herbal remedy most often as an emetic (induces vomiting). When applied to the skin or inhaled, the tannin-rich  juices can be acrid and irritating.

This plant has been used as a form of water treatment since it has the ability to take up heavy metals through its roots.

The roots of Iris are used to make natural dyes. The green dye obtained from the leaves of species was used in the tweed industry. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers.
According to older references a good black dye is obtained from the root if it is mixed with iron sulphate.
The root is a source of tannin and has been used in making ink boiled with copperas (green sulphate of iron).
A delicately scented essential oil is obtained from the roots, it has been used to adulterate the oil of Sweet Flag, Acorus calamus.
Yellow flag, when used in thatching is reported to be particularly suited as a layer underneath marram (grass), as it provides an even, flat surface for laying the marram on.
Yellow iris is one of several wetland species that is used together with common reed (Phragmites australis) in reedbeds and constructed wetlands for waste water treatment. Several plant species can be used to maximise the biomass and increase the diversity of the reedbed so it can adapt to different conditions. Adding extra plant species provides different niches for bacterial growth and can only improve the water purifying activity of the reedbed or wetland.

Field of Yellow Irises at Loughrea Lake