Synonyms: Dietes iridioides, Moraea iridioides)
Origin: Native to Eastern and Southern Africa
Family: Iridaceae
Light: Part sun/part shade
Height: 2-6'
Spacing: 2-3'
Blooms: White with purple tinge, yellow outer petals, 3" across, year round
Foliage: Evergreen, dark green, leathery, linear, fan-shaped, 18-36" long, 1/2" wide, leaf blade has parallel veins, no stems
Fruit: 1-3" long, elongated, green ages to brown, dry and hard when ripe
Soil: Rich, wet, flooded, loamy, sandy, clayey, acidic, slightly alkaline, somewhat drought tolerant
Water: High-low
Fertilization: Annually
Uses: Ornamental, water garden, borders, accent, containers, indoors, mass planting, naturalizing
Propagation: Seeds, rhizoma divisions (Taken in Fall)
Pests/Diseases: Watch for nematodes
Comments: Dietes vegeta or African Iris or Butterfly Iris or Cape Iris or Dietes iridioides or Moraea iridioides is a ornamental herbaceous perennial grass with an upright, rhizomatous, clumping growth habit. It is a native of eastern and South Africa. All year round, Dietes vegeta produces purple-tinged, white blosoms and yellow on outer petals, appearing every fortnight, hence its common name, Fortnight Lily. This is followed later by green fruits which age to brown, hard seedpods that opens and self sows, making it ideal for naturalizing. Butterfly Iris produces new blooms on old stalks so do not remove spent blossoms. Cape Iris is easily propagated from seeds or rhizome divisions taken in the Fall. Dietes iridioides performs best in moist, rich, loamy, clayey, sandy, acidic, slightly alkaline soil in a part sun or part shade location. Fortnight Iris has evergreen, leathery, fan-shaped linear foliage. Moraea iridiodes is slow growing and can tolerate some drought but cannot tolerate salty conditions. Wild Iris is hardy to 25 degrees Fahrenheit. Its persistent fruits and flowers provide winter interest. Dietes vegeta has creeping rhizomes that forms a nice matted clump which can be divided every few years in the Fall. It can be container cultivated as indoor plant and placed in a sunny window. Mass plant Butterfly Iris in the border for a showy display. It tolerates flooding making it ideal for the water garden. Butterfly Iris makes lovely accent plant when grown with shorter perennials.
USDA Zones 8b-11
