Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbaceous Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Africa, Kenya, South Africa
Southern Africa
Types
Freesia
Perennial
Number of Varieties
1550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Tropical regions, Wet forest
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-108-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
10-8
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
40.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Yellow, Brown
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From bulbs
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
High
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Needs a lot of moisture in the growing season, Stop watering completely once the plant becomes dormant
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand, Well drained
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Shade, Indirect sunlight, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Cut away fading foliage, Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
20-20-20 amount, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Potash
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
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
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers
Root
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used for fragrance
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Flower borders, Screening
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
Freesia refracta
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Freesia
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Freesia
African Iris
In German
Freesie
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Freesia
African Iris
In Spanish
fresia
Iris africano
In Greek
freesia
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
freesia
Iris africano
In Polish
frezja
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Freesia
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Asparagales
Family
Iridaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Freesia
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
Ixioideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
16300
1
27800
👆🏻