Fernald's iris
Rarely offered in nurseries, the creamy-white to soft, buttery-yellow flowers of Iris fernaldii brighten up any dry shade to part-sun, inland garden in April. The flowers rise a foot above the evergreen, narrow, strap-like, deep-green foliage. This patch-forming Iris can be found in the more inland canyons of Northwestern California, from the Santa Cruz mountains, throughout inland Sonoma County, to Lake, Colusa, and Glenn counties. Fernald’s iris is well adapted to both extreme heat and cold, but can also perform well in full sun on the coast. Native bees and butterflies are attracted to the cheery flowers of this iris. This species prefers decent drainage and is drought tolerant and deer resistant once established.