White African Iris
Dietes iridioides
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones:Â 8b-10b (8a?)Â Â Find Your Zone
Plant Type:Â Perennial
Height at Maturity:Â 24″ / Flower stalks to 48″
Width at Maturity:Â 36-48″
Spacing:Â 24-36″ for mass plantings, 60″ for space between plants
Spacing:Â 24-36″ for mass plantings, 60″ for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form:Â Clumping, Grassy, Upright
Growth Rate:Â Moderate
Flower Color: Â White with Yellow and Blue accents
Flower Size:Â 3″ Â
Flowering Period:Â Spring through Summer!
Flower Type:Â Single Iris
Fragrant Flowers:Â No
Foliage Color:Â Green
Fragrant Foliage:Â No
Berries:Â Â No
Berry Color:Â No
Sun Needs:Â Full Sun to Dappled Shade
Water Needs:Â Â Average
Soil Type:Â Â Clay (amended), Loam, Sandy, SiltÂ
Soil Moisture / Drainage:Â Well Drained, Moist
Soil pH:Â 6.0 – 8.0 (Slightly Acid to Slightly Alkaline)
Maintenance / Care:Â Low
Attracts:Â Butterflies, Visual Attention
Resistances:Â Deer –Â more info, Disease, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Insect
Description
African Iris, called by some the Fortnight Lily, is an evergreen perennial with spreading fans of stiff, leathery sword shaped leaves up to 2 feet tall but less than 1 inch wide. Pretty, stunningly white, iris-like 3-inch flowers accented with yellow and blue are borne in abundance atop 2-4 feet tall stalks that rise above the upright clumps of foliage. in tall stalks that reach from to to 4 feet tall. The flowers are absolutely beautiful. Like daylilies, they only last a day but are borne in profusion throughout the spring and summer seasons. They usually come in waves, with a fortnight (two weeks) of rest between cycles.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing in an upright clump to 2 feet tall with flowers stalks to 4 feet tall, and 3 to 4 feet wide, African Iris are often used in perennial or landscape borders to provide a strong vertical accent. They also fit nicely as accents or in small groupings or mass plantings in landscape borders or small grouping in home foundation plantings. If spaced 3 feet or less apart they make an attractive groundcover under tall, large trees. They also work well as a vertical accent in containers and planters. A fine addition to Asian theme gardens, butterfly gardens, cottage gardens, perennial gardens, rock gardens, and white color theme gardens.
Suggested Spacing:Â 2 to 3 feet for mass plantings;Â 6 feet or more for space between plants
How To Measure Total Square Feet Of A Planting AreaÂ
How Many Plants Needed To Cover A Planting Area?Â
Note:Â Â For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 8b, where the White African Iris is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Growing Preferences
White African Iris is easy to grow in most any moist but well-drained soil of average fertility and full sun to dappled shade. They don’t mind poor soils, but will not grow in salty soils. Once established, they tolerate dry soil conditions, but do best with in a moist soil. Maintenance is minimal. The flowering stems are perennial, so don’t cut them back after flowering as you might for most other iris-like plants.
Note:Â Find helpful advice from our experts under the Planting & Care tab above on desktop monitors and below on mobile devices.
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I am excited to get these exceptionally healthy looking Fortnight Lillies. I grew them for years in California where they were non-stop flowering and grew like weeds. The plants received from Wilson Bros Gardens were fresh, green, good looking and bigger than expected. Even though I will need to overwinter inside, I’m looking forward to enjoying them for years to come.——————————–We are so glad you are pleased and we hope you enjoy your purchase for years to come! Thanks for the kind words and wonderful review! 🙂 Beth Steele | WBG





















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