Looks pretty doesn’t it? And it is as pretty as many irises one might choose to plant in the garden. Don’t!

This is the common yellow flag that loves water and wet sites. It spreads by rhizomes, but I found out to my dismay that it also spreads by seed carried on the wind. A friend gave me several yellow flags to plant around my pond.  They didn’t do too much, but one day I  found this indestructible iris growing in my wet Sunken Garden.  Even the grandsons haven’t been able to destroy it.

Yesterday, driving past an abandoned but watery and swampy beaver dam I noticed yellow flags. They still look pretty in a  clump.

But when you see acres of  them it is terrifying. Yellow flags are listed as invasive in many states.  I’m still trying to kill my plant, and cutting off all blossoms before they  go to seed. BE WARNED!