Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Africa
Mexico, Central America, South America
Types
Perennial
-
Number of Varieties
5060
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Coastal Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1011-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
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
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Grafting, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Needs more water during establishment
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
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
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Anthracnose, Aphids, Red blotch, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Squirrels
Allergy
Skin irritation
Stomach pain, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used in parkland
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Reduce Bruises
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Shadow Tree, Soil protection
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Dehydration, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Nutrients, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Application in Handicrafts, Food for animals, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
Manilkara zapota
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
sapodilla , chikoo, Sapota
In Hindi
African Iris
चीकू
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Breiapfelbaum
In French
African Iris
Sapotillier
In Spanish
Iris africano
chicle
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
sapodilla
In Portuguese
Iris africano
sapodilla
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Pigwica właściwa, sapodilla
In Latin
African Iris
sapodilla
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Ericales
Family
Iridaceae
Sapotaceae
Genus
Dietes
Abelia
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
Sapoteae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Sapotoideae
Number of Species
300134
1
27800
👆🏻