Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Africa, Asia, Polynesia, Australia
Types
Perennial
assera , caerulea , cinerascens , petasmatodes
Number of Varieties
507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
mild coastal areas, Upland sandy savannas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-10-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm40.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
White, Blue, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Blue, Violet
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long Narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance, Light Frost
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Crown rot, Fungal leaf spots
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, Drought, Heat Tolerance, Light Frost
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
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies, Caterpillar
Allergy
Skin irritation
breathing problems, Dizziness, poisonous if ingested
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Showy Purposes, small hedge, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
-
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
DIANELLA caerulea
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Blue Flax Lily, Blueberry Lily, Paroo Lily
In Hindi
African Iris
blue flax lily
In German
Afrikanische Iris
blau Flachs Lilie
In French
African Iris
Dianella caerulea
In Spanish
Iris africano
Dianella caerulea
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Dianella caerulea
In Portuguese
Iris africano
blue flax lily
In Polish
Afryki Iris
blue flax lily
In Latin
African Iris
blue flax lily
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Monocots
Order
Asparagales
Asparagales
Family
Iridaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Dietes
Dianella
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
3007
1
27800
👆🏻