Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Flowering Plants, Grass, Shrubs
Origin
Southern Africa
Central America, North America
Types
Perennial
Perennial
Number of Varieties
504
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Temperate Regions, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-107-10
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
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Pink, Red, White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Black, 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
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall, Late Summer, Mid Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Fall, Late Summer, Mid Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Do not water excessively
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, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Cut back old stems to the ground
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
as it is a flowering plant, use high phosphorous content fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Aphids, Slugs
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
-
Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-inflammatory, Aphrodisiac, Diuretic, Purgative, Vulnerary
Part of Plant Used
Root
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Edible dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Edging, Feature Plant, Foundation, Wildflower
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
Mirabilis jalapa
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
marvel of peru, four o'clock flower
In Hindi
African Iris
Mirabilis jalapa
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Wunderblume
In French
African Iris
Belle-de-nuit
In Spanish
Iris africano
Dondiego de noche
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
mirabilis Jalapa
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Maravilha
In Polish
Afryki Iris
mirabilis Jalapa
In Latin
African Iris
mirabilis Ja-
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Iridaceae
Nyctaginaceae
Genus
Dietes
Mirabilis
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
30060
1
27800
👆🏻