Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico
Southern Africa
Types
Pink cestrum, Red cestrum, Purple cestrum
Perennial
Number of Varieties
17550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, High elevation, Roadsides
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
10-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 13, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
300.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Magenta, Crimson, Violet
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bonsai, Hanging Basket, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Seeds
Root
Other Uses
Showy Purposes
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
CESTRUM elegans
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Crimson cestrum, Elegant poison-berry, Purple cestrum, Red cestrum
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Butterfly Flower plant
African Iris
In German
Schmetterlings-Blumen- Anlage
Afrikanische Iris
In French
usine de fleur de papillon
African Iris
In Spanish
planta de la flor de mariposa
Iris africano
In Greek
φυτό Πεταλούδα λουλούδι
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
planta de flor de borboleta
Iris africano
In Polish
Motyl Kwiat roślin
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Flos plantae Gloria
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Solanales
Asparagales
Family
Solanaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Cestrum
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Cestreae
Irideae
Subfamily
Browallioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
250300
1
27800
👆🏻