Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Fruit, Shrub
Origin
Southern Africa
South America
Types
Perennial
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
500
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-109-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
11-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove shoots
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
African Iris
Babaco
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Babaco
In French
African Iris
Babaco
In Spanish
Iris africano
Babaco
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Babaco
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Babaco
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Babaco
In Latin
African Iris
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Brassicales
Family
Iridaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Dietes
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
3001
1
27800
👆🏻