Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
-
Types
Perennial
-
Number of Varieties
5050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
meadows, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-103-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm40.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Pink, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray 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
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, In Water
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Do not let dry out between waterings, It cannot sustain wet-feet, Requires a lot of watering, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Ample Water
In Winter
Average Water
Lots of watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune in spring, Prune in summer
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves, Don't use high pH fertilizers, fertilize in spring
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Diarrhea, Intestinal gas
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antibiotic, Astringent, Diarrhea
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Cosmetics
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
LYTHRUM 'Happy'
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Loosetrife
In Hindi
African Iris
Loosetrife
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Loosetrife
In French
African Iris
salicaire
In Spanish
Iris africano
loosetrife
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
loosetrife
In Portuguese
Iris africano
loosetrife
In Polish
Afryki Iris
loosetrife
In Latin
African Iris
loosetrife
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Myrtales
Family
Iridaceae
Lythraceae
Genus
Dietes
Lythrum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
300150
1
27800
👆🏻