Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southern Africa
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Perennial
Grasses
Number of Varieties
501
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Dry areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-103-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm45.70 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Purple, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Beetles, Grasshoppers
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Erosion control
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cuts
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used to feed livestock
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
BOUTELOUA gracilis
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Blue Grama Grass, Mosquito Grass
In Hindi
African Iris
Bouteloua gracilis
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Bouteloua Gracilis
In French
African Iris
Bouteloua aristidoides
In Spanish
Iris africano
Chondrosum gracile
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Bouteloua gracilis
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Bouteloua Gracilis
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Bouteloua Gracilis
In Latin
African Iris
Bouteloua Gracilis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Cyperales
Family
Iridaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Dietes
Bouteloua
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Irideae
Cynodonteae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
300100
1
27800
👆🏻