Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Canada
Types
Perennial
-
Number of Varieties
502
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
gardens, Hardwood forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-105-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
7-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm15.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm12.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Butterfly shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Medium
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
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
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
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Diuretic
Part of Plant Used
Root
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Feature Plant, Groundcover
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
JEFFERSONIA diphylla
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
-
In Hindi
African Iris
Twinleaf
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Twinleaf
In French
African Iris
Twinleaf
In Spanish
Iris africano
Twinleaf
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Twinleaf
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Twinleaf
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Twinleaf
In Latin
African Iris
Twinleaf
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Ranunculales
Family
Iridaceae
Berberidaceae
Genus
Dietes
Jeffersonia
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
3002
1
27800
👆🏻