If, by 'copper iris' you are referring to the rust-coloured Louisiana native iris, you need to perform searches for

'Abbeville Red'
'Black Gamecock' (which is black, but a La. hybrid cultivar)
'Vermilion Queen'

or generally look for the term 'louisiana native iris' which should get you something.

Altho, I bet it gets way too cold up there for the Louisiana natives to stand it...

sea ya
tami

thanks Tami,
The one I am looking for is not one of the hybrids but the species Iris Fulva. I have been looking for a couple of months for seeds or rhizomes but so far no luck. It is hardy here where I live.

Penny

You're right about Iris fulva being hardy where you are, and if you're willing to go to somewhat ridiculous extremes you can grow a lot more of the Louisiana irises. When I lived in Nebraska I had a friend in the iris society who grew LAs in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I can't find a link to the Society for Louisian Irises but I'm sure you can google it, and the first newletter I could lay my hands on lists a number of sources with web sites. It always makes sense to me to get plants that are being grown as close to me or to my conditions as I can, and Iris City Gardens (www.iriscitygardens.com) in Tennessee seems to be closest to you--I don't know them but their ad says they grow 'primarily beardless iris: Japanese, Siberian, Louisiana, and Species'. An excellent source, if a bit pricey, is Louisiana Nursery (www.durionursery.com), which hybridizes very highly-rated iris and daylilies, and has a very extensive list of a great many kinds of plants. I've never been disappointed in anything I got from them. The SLI site probably has commercial links too.
Nancy

hi green elbows and thanks for the info. I am still looking for seeds, plants or rhisomes to plant this spring if possible. i did contact Durion Nursery but they never replied. I just had a chance to check out Iris City gardens unfortunately they won't ship until Sept. I am going to keep their website handy though. Their prices seem very good and their shipping isn't bad either compared to other sites I have been to for plants.
Penny