The fleur-de-lis — iris or lily?
The fleur-de-lis is named "lily flower" in French but almost certainly depicts an iris, not a lily. The three-petalled, fan-shaped form of the fleur-de-lis closely matches an iris in full bloom — the three upright inner petals (standards) and three drooping outer petals (falls) visible in a stylised form. The confusion with the lily arose because both flowers were called "lis" in medieval French. The iris growing wild along the banks of the River Lys (also written Lis) in northern France is thought to be the most likely origin of the royal symbol.
The iris in French royal history
The fleur-de-lis is said to have been adopted by the Frankish king Clovis I after his baptism in 496 AD, when an angel presented him with a golden lily as a symbol of his purified soul. Later tradition associated it with Louis VII, who used it extensively during the Crusades. By the 12th century it appeared on the French royal coat of arms, where it remained until the Revolution. Today it appears on the arms of Quebec, New Orleans, and dozens of cities with French historical connections worldwide.
Growing irises in UK gardens
Irises are among the most reliable and rewarding perennials for UK gardens. Siberian irises (Iris sibirica) — France's official national flower — are the easiest to grow: they tolerate most soil types including moist conditions, are fully hardy, and produce elegant violet-blue flowers in May and June with virtually no maintenance. Bearded irises (Iris germanica) need full sun and sharp drainage and reward with spectacular late May blooms. For something more unusual, the native Yellow Flag Iris (Iris pseudacorus) naturalises beautifully in pond margins and wet areas.
Other French floral symbols
France has several informal floral associations alongside the iris. The cornflower (bleuet de France) is the French equivalent of the British poppy — worn on Armistice Day to remember the fallen of World War One. The marguerite daisy and red poppy together with the cornflower represent the blue, white and red of the tricolore. Lavender, though not an official symbol, is so associated with Provence that it has become a de facto emblem of French rural life and the French countryside.