Braamfontein Spruit Ecological Corridor

Small Fortnight Lily

Dietes iridioides

© no rights reserved, uploaded by Scott Edmunds (CC0)

Description - from Wikipedia

Dietes iridioides, commonly named African iris, fortnight lily, and morea iris, is a species of plant in the family Iridaceae that is native to Southern Africa.

Description
This species has sarmentous stems with branches bearing lily-like flowers 6–8 centimetres (2.4–3.1 in) wide, white with yellow central markings. Growing up to 60 centimetres (24 in) in height and 30–60 centimetres (12–24 in) in spread, it forms dense basal tufts in the shape of an extended fan. Its preferred habitat is in semi-shade under tall, open trees. It has white flowers marked with yellow and violet, with six free tepals that are not joined into a tube at their bases. These flowers last only for a few days.
The seedpods of the plant often bend the stalks down to the ground where they have a better chance of propagating a new generation of plants.

Distribution
Dietes iridoides is widely distributed in Africa, from Ethiopia to South Africa.

Taxonomy
These plants were formerly placed in the genus Moraea, but were reclassified because they are rhizomatous. Some references mention the species Dietes vegeta or D. vegeta variegata, springing from some confusion with Moraea vegata (which grows from a corm, not a rhizome). The name D. vegeta is commonly misapplied to both D. iridioides and D. grandiflora.

References
Pink, A. (2004). Gardening for the Million. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.

External links
Dietes iridioides photo

Read more here

Species Characteristics

Tolerances & suitability

Drought-resistant Drought-resistant
Good garden plant Good garden plant

Growth features

Easy to grow Easy to grow

Social features

Medicinal Medicinal

Aspect

Semi-shade Semi-shade
Shade Shade
Sun Sun

Plant types

Spatial classification

Flowering Period
  • White
Feb Mar Apr May Sep Oct Nov Dec

Propagation

By Seed

Sow seeds in spring or divide large clumps which spread by means of rhizomes.

By Cutting

Plantlets often develop on the flower stems and root easily when they touch the ground. Dietes is effective in mass plantings under trees and around water features.

Nursery availability

In stock

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