Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southern Africa
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean, Turkey, Western Asia
Types
Perennial
Herb
Number of Varieties
503
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm50.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Medium
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune after flowering, Remove dead flowers
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Self-fertile
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Leafhoppers, Root Pathogen, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Flowers
Showy
Showy
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Bugs
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Appetite enhancer, Bloating, Digestion problems, Digestive, Heartburn, Menstrual Cramps, Stomach spasms
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves, Root, Seeds
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Medicinal oil, Used As Food, Used in flavouring curries, teas
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
CARUM carvi
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Caraway, meridian fennel, Persian cumin
In Hindi
African Iris
शाहजीरा
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Kümmel
In French
African Iris
carvi
In Spanish
Iris africano
alcaravea
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
κύμινο
In Portuguese
Iris africano
alcaravia
In Polish
Afryki Iris
kminek
In Latin
African Iris
Caraway
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Apiales
Family
Iridaceae
Apiaceae
Genus
Dietes
Carum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
30020
1
27800
👆🏻