Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Southern Africa
Types
Grasses
Perennial
Number of Varieties
150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-98-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 5
10-8
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Gray Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Grasshoppers
Nematodes, Scale
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Erosion control
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cuts
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Root
Other Uses
Used to feed livestock
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
BOUTELOUA gracilis
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Blue Grama Grass, Mosquito Grass
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Bouteloua gracilis
African Iris
In German
Bouteloua Gracilis
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Bouteloua aristidoides
African Iris
In Spanish
Chondrosum gracile
Iris africano
In Greek
Bouteloua gracilis
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Bouteloua Gracilis
Iris africano
In Polish
Bouteloua Gracilis
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Bouteloua Gracilis
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Asparagales
Family
Poaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Bouteloua
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Cynodonteae
Irideae
Subfamily
Chloridoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
100300
1
27800
👆🏻