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| ## bowltube iris {#bowltube-iris .Title-Header}                       |
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| *Iris macrosiphon* Torr.                                              |
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| Plant Symbol = IRMA                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center

### 

###### Uses

[*Warning***:**]{.underline} **[Fresh iris roots may be
toxic]{.underline}.**

*Ethnobotanic*: Iris makes some of the finest cordage with fibers that
are particularly strong and flexible. The fibers are fine like silk.
Only two fibers can be taken from each iris leaf margin with the
remainder discarded. Significant numbers of leaves were harvested in the
fall and stored until needed. Iris cordage was used for fishing nets,
string, rope, snares, hairnets, and regalia.

The men knotted the fishing nets from this material. Iris rope was used
to catch animals. A deer rope is near 20 feet long with a lasso at one
end, and about half an inch in diameter. This loop was set over a deer
trail to catch the head or antlers. Within the set loop over the trail
was spread a delicate network of the same material to draw in the loop.
One Indian stated that \"it takes nearly six weeks to make a rope twelve
feet long.\"

In spite of the tremendous labor of preparing this material, the iris
fiber was one of the most generally employed in northwestern California.
The threads and cords of this fiber were used to make fishing nets,
camping bags and snares for catching deer, birds, and other game. Since
iris is fine and can be bent at sharp angles, it makes an excellent
starting knot in coiled baskets.

The Pomo placed acorn meal in a shallow pit and covered the meal with
iris leaves before pouring water over the meal to leach out tannic acid.
The Monache and the Southern Yokuts in California make flour from iris
seed.

A poultice of the raw rhizome is especially effective against staph
sores. Externally iris is successfully used in infected wounds, ulcers,
fistulas and to take away freckles. Only the dry root should be used
internally. Iris is active as an cathartic, has a stimulating effect on
the production of both pancreatic enzymes and bile, is a strong
diuretic, and will stimulate both saliva and sweat. This is a useful
drug plant but in general should be used with care and preferably in
combinations where less energetic plants form the bulk of a medicinal
formula. ![](media/image2.png){width="2.4895833333333335in"
height="2.115972222222222in"}

Tea from iris roots was used for kidney trouble by several California
Indian peoples (Murphy 1959). The Yana chewed iris roots to cure coughs.
The Modoc used an iris root decoction to soothe sore eyes. A piece of
iris root was inserted in a tooth cavity to kill the nerve, so the tooth
will come out. Roots were burned and the smoke inhaled to alleviate
dizziness. A root decoction was used as a cathartic and emetic, but
large doses could cause severe digestive problems.

*Landscaping & Wildlife*: The beautiful and variable blossoms lend
themselves to landscaping, where they naturalize and require minimal
maintenance. Native irises are free flowering, most are long lived,
require very little attention, and provide an abundance of seeds. Iris
flowers attract insects and birds. Irises provide both nectar and
insects to hummingbirds.

###### Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status, such as, state noxious status
and wetland indicator values.

Description

*General*: Iris Family (Iridaceae). The native bowl-tube iris has green
or blue-green leaves from 2-5 mm wide, generally colorless at the bases
that are longer than the stems. It has golden yellow to apricot to cream
to deep blue-purple to violet flowers with rounded sepals. It blooms
from April to May. This perennial, evergreen iris has one to two flowers
close to the ground. The rhizomes average 8 mm in diameter.

###### Distribution

For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this
species on the PLANTS Web site. In California, bowl-tube iris does not
occur on the west slopes of the outer Coast Ranges, but is found over a
very large area throughout the rest of those ranges from Santa Cruz
County northward.

###### Establishment

*Adaptation*: The plant grows in sun to broken shade with moderate
moisture and porous soil. This iris occurs in open to partly shaded
slopes, in the foothill and north oak woodland, mixed evergreen, and
mixed conifer communities, generally less than 1000 m in elevation.
Horticulturally, it is used for cover, edging, rock gardens, and
variation in flower color. This species is more of an upland species
than *Iris douglasiana*. This iris does not form clumps and must be
started from seed. It does not grow vigorously in the garden. *Iris
fernaldii* hybridizes with *Iris macrosiphon* and the hybrid populations
threaten the pure strains.

# 

*General*: The native irises are excellent in shade situations, even
dense shade of walls and fences (Schmidt 1980). They will tolerate sun
for most of the day in mild areas, and should have afternoon shade and
ample water in the interior regions. These plants are intolerant of
frequent summer water; they should not be planted near lawns or other
moisture-loving plants. These plants require excellent drainage.
Compacted or other water-holding soils may need to be modified.
Fertilization increases biomass and seed production.

Irises start growing with the first cool weather and rains in fall,
reaching the height of their growth in spring and early summer.

*Propagation by Plant Division*: Bowl-tube iris does not form clumps,
and it is recommended that the plants be started from seed. However,
this iris is still clonal, radiating in growth outward from the center
of the plant. This iris can be propagated from plant division, in fall
or winter after the first new roots are established but before the
flowers form.

Native irises in the wild tend to produce only a small, dry rhizome with
stringy roots, which is difficult to dig. Vigorous garden or greenhouse
plants produce firm, white, growing roots especially in winter and
spring growing seasons, and clumps are easily divided at those time.
Remove a new fan with fleshy roots set in a prepared site, water it, and
provide shade for a few days if the plant is placed in full sun.
Frequent division appears to keep the plants vigorous, as well as being
the best method of increasing the supply of superior forms.

*Propagation by Seed*: Iris seed is easily collected from the large
capsules. The seedpods from bowl-tube iris are sometimes right on the
ground, almost like a peanut. The capsules turn from green to brown and
open at the top when they are ripe. The ripe fruit disperse very
rapidly. Two days after splitting, the seed is gone. Collect capsules
carefully to avoid spilling seeds. Each capsule has from 20 to 80 seeds.
Seeds should be stored in paper envelopes at room temperature until they
are planted. The seeds of all species will keep up to 10 years at room
temperature.

Plant seeds in 6-inch pots, using a combination of leaf mold and peat
moss. Cover seeds with 1/2 inch of same material. Any good potting soil
that\'s acidic is good for seed germination.

After planting, over-winter the pots outdoors in November or December.
They will come up in 2-3 months, depending on the weather. Germination
increases the second year, because there\'s always a percentage of hard
seeds that won\'t germinate the first year. Some seeds do not germinate
until the second year, to increase the probability for good weather
conditions and optimize germination success.

Plant the seedlings in May, when the young plants are usually 3 to 6
inches tall or even taller. Plants are likely to require watering the
first year while roots are being established. Plant from 6 inches to
one-foot spacing. If a natural look is desired, scatter and clump the
plantings. Plants will begin to bloom by their second year if growth has
been continuous.

Direct seeding is possible in places that can be left undisturbed, as
among shrubs, or among low perennials where the seedlings can be
sheltered. If planting seeds in the ground, autumn is the best time for
seeding; germination begins in two or three months and often continues
beyond that time. A friable seed mixture of sand, loam, and either peat
or screened leaf mold is best, covering the seed with sphagnum moss to
aid in preventing damping-off of seedlings.

###### Management

In autumn old leaves should be removed from the center of large clumps,
the foliage cut back, and a mulch applied, especially if the irises are
being naturalized in a semi-dry area. Traditional resource management
included harvesting huge bunches of iris leaves in the fall, and storing
these leaves until needed. The fibers are then harvested from the
leaves. This naturally accomplished the pruning and mulching that modern
horticulturists practice to maintain iris beds.

The PCI borer (*Amphipoea americana* var. *pacifica*) and iris borer are
serious pests of iris. The iris borer stays in the rhizome through the
winter, then metamorphose, coming out sometime in the spring as a
nocturnal moth. Controlling the moth when its flying, to prevent it from
laying its eggs on the iris, would control the borer. At this time, it
is recommended to dig the infected plant out entirely, put it a plastic
bag, and put them in the garbage can to avoid contamination of other
plants.

Milkweed (*Asclepias* species) and dogbane (*Apocynum cannibinum*) were
traditionally burned by native people in the fall to maintain vigorous
plant production, to stimulate plant growth, to optimize long and
abundant fiber production from leaves and stalks, and to stimulate seed
production. It is probable that iris was burned for the same reasons.

# 

###### Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

IRMA is widely available through native plant nurseries within its
range. Seeds and plants of selected iris cultivars are available from
many nurseries. It is best to plant species from your local area,
adapted to the specific site conditions where the plants are to be
grown. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service
(formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look
in the phone book under "United States Government." The Natural
Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading
"Department of Agriculture."

###### References

American Iris Society. *SPCNI.* 4333 Oak Hill Road, Oakland, California.

Archer, W.A. 1957. *Abstract of Pharmacological research*. pp. 108-131
IN: \"Medicinal Uses of Plants by Indian Tribes of Nevada,\" by Percy
Train, James R. Henrichs and W. Andrew Archer. Contributions Toward a
Flora of Nevada, No. 45. Beltsville, Maryland: USDA, Plant Industry
Station. \[Facsimile Reprint: Quarterman Publications, Lawrence,
Massachusetts, 1978.\]

Balls, E.K. 1962*. Early uses of California plants.* University of
California Press. 103 pp.

Cohen, V.A. 1967. *Guide to the Pacific Coast irises*. A monograph with
drawings and photos. British Iris Society. This monograph has been
reprinted by the Society for Pacific Coast Native Iris (SPCNI). 4333 Oak
Hill Road, Oakland, California 94605.

Cooke, S.S. 1997. *A field guide to the common wetland plants of western
Washington and northwestern Oregon*. Seattle Audubon Society and
Washington Native Plant Society. 414 pp.

Fowler, C.S. 1992. *In the shadow of Fox Peak. An ethnography of the
Cattail-Eater Northern Paiute People of Stillwater Marsh*. Cultural
Resource Series Number 5. U.S. Department of the Interior. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Region 1. Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge. 264 pp.

Gunther, E. 1945 rev. 1973. *Ethnobotany of western Washington*.
University of Washington Publications in Anthropology, 10 (1).
University of Washington Press, Seattle.

Hickman, J.C. 1993. *The Jepson manual. Higher plants of California*.
University of California Press. 1399 pp.

Hunn, E. & J. Selam and family 1990. *Nch\'i-Wana \"The Big River.\"*
Mid-Columbia Indians and Their Land. University of Washington Press.
Seattle and London. 378 pp.

Hutchens, A.R. 1991. *Indian herbalogy of North America.* Shambhala.
Boston & London. 382 pp.

Lawyer, A. & L. Lawyer (January/February) 1996. *Growing and hybridizing
your own iris*. Growing Native. The Newsletter of the Growing Native
Research Institute.15 pp.

Martin, A.C., H.S. Zim, & A.L. Nelson 1951. *American wildlife and
plants a guide to wildlife food habits*. Dover Publications, Inc., New
York, New York. 500 pp.

Lenz, L.W.A. 1958. *Revision of the Pacific Coast irises.* A monograph
with drawings and site maps for both species and naturally occurring
hybrids. Originally published in RSABG\'s publication. Also in 1958, it
has been reprinted by the Society for Pacific Coast Native Iris (SPCNI).
4333 Oak Hill Road, Oakland, California.

Mason, H.L. 1957. *A flora of the marshes of California*. University of
California. 878 pp.

Moore, M. 1979. *Medicinal plants of the mountain west*. Museum of New
Mexico Press. 200 pp.

Moser, C.L. 1993. *Native American basketry of Southern California.*
Riverside Museum Press. 155 pp.

Murphy, E.V.A. 1959. *Indian uses of native plants*. Mendocino County
Historical Society. 81 pp.

Schmidt, M.G. 1980. *Growing California native plants*. University of
California Press. 366 pp.

Strike, S.S. 1994. *Ethnobotany of the California Indians.* Koeltz
Scientific Books. USA\\Germany. 210 pp.

Warburton, B. date unknown. *American Iris Society*. 718 West 67th
Street, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

###### Prepared By

*Michelle Stevens*

formerly USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

###### Species Coordinator

*M. Kat Anderson*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center

c/o Environmental Horticulture Department, University of California,
Davis, California

Edited: 05dec00 jsp; 20may03 ahv; 060801 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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