...Jenny's Garden Home...

Image of Neomarica gracillis or Apostle Plant or Apostle's Iris or Walking Iris

Origin: Central America
Family:  Iridaceae
Light:  Shade-filtered sun
Height: 1.5-2' 
Spread:  1.5-2'
Blooms:  Fragrant, 2" blue, white and yellow, on pendulous stem, late Spring 
Foliage:    Green, smooth, glossy, sword-shaped
Soil:  Well-drained, ogranic, neutral  (6.6-7.5), keep moist
Water:  Regular
Uses: Bedding, borders, mass planting, container, hanging baskets, houseplant
Propagation:  Seeds, offset divisions
Comments:  Neomarica gracillis or Apostle Plant or Apostle's Iris or Walking Iris is a pretty tropical perennial.  This herbaceous plant loves high humidity.  Apostle Plant  looks lovely in a hanging basket, bedding. borders, mass planting, or in a container which can be brought indoors during Winter.  The flowers of Apostle's Iris are pretty when in bloom.  However, they only last a day.  After blooming, the seed pod will 'walk' to the ground to allow plantlets to root, hence the common name 'Walking Iris'.  Neomarica gracillis plantlets can be easily dug up and planted or just let them be to form a lovely mass.  These perennials are easy to grow and are low maintainence.  Grown en masses,  Apostle's Iris make ideal bedding or border plants and they look wonderful in hanging baskets or in containers as a houseplant or for decorating the patio or deck.  My Apostle Plants are happily growing under a large pine tree.   
USDA Hardiness Zones :  8-11