Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southern Africa
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Perennial
Not avilable
Number of Varieties
5010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Desert
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
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Weeping
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm4.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Dark Salmon, Sandy Brown, White, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Early Summer, Late Spring, Late Winter, Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
-
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
-
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
-
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
-
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
Itchiness
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Nut
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for Landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Houseplant, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
Selenicereus pteranthus
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Selenicereus, Moonlight cactus
In Hindi
African Iris
moonlight cactus
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Selenicereus
In French
African Iris
Selenicereus
In Spanish
Iris africano
Selenicereus
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Selenicereus
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Selenicereus
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Selenicereus
In Latin
African Iris
moonlight cactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Caryophyllales
Family
Iridaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Dietes
Selenicereus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
Hylocereeae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
3001
1
27800
👆🏻