Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Aquatics
Origin
Southern Africa
Australia
Types
Perennial
Marsilea quadrifolia, Marsilea hirsuta
Number of Varieties
504
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Bog Garden, Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-109-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Four wedge-shaped leaflets
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Spores
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Needs very little water
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
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
Organic Manure
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Aphids, Clover Clot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
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
Frogs
Allergy
Skin irritation
Beriberi, Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Fixes Nitrogen
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Astringent
Part of Plant Used
Root
Seeds, Spores
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used like flour, Used to make dough
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Houseplant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
MARSILEA drummondii
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Common Nardoo, Pepperwort, Water Clover
In Hindi
African Iris
Water Clover
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Wasser Klee
In French
African Iris
Eau Clover
In Spanish
Iris africano
Agua trébol
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
νερό Clover
In Portuguese
Iris africano
Clover água
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Woda Clover
In Latin
African Iris
Trifolium aqua
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Pteridophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Filicopsida
Order
Asparagales
Hydropteridales
Family
Iridaceae
Marsileaceae
Genus
Dietes
Marsilea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
-
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
3004
1
27800
👆🏻