Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Aquatics
Origin
Southern Africa
United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, California, Texas
Types
Perennial
Virginia
Number of Varieties
505
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-104-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
10-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
White, Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
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
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Lobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, 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
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
In Water
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires consistently moist soil
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial 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
Red blotch
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anxiety, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Bog Garden, Groundcover, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
HYDROCOTYLE umbellata
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Manyflower Marsh Pennywort, Pennywort
In Hindi
African Iris
pennywort
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Wassernabel
In French
African Iris
pennywort
In Spanish
Iris africano
Centella
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
pennywort
In Portuguese
Iris africano
conchelo
In Polish
Afryki Iris
wąkrota
In Latin
African Iris
pennywort
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Apiales
Family
Iridaceae
Apiaceae
Genus
Dietes
Hydrocotyle
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
300700
1
27800
👆🏻