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Fairy Iris

Dietes grandiflora

Also called Wild Iris, African Iris, Butterfly Iris, Large Fortnight Lily, Large Wild Iris

Fairy Iris
Photo: Bloopityboop, CC BY-SA 4.0
Family
Iridaceae (Iris family)
Grows as
Perennial
Light
Full sun, Part shade
Native range
S. & SE. Cape Prov. to KwaZulu-Natal
Climate
subtropical

About

Dietes grandiflora, commonly named fortnight lily, large wild iris, African iris or fairy iris, is a rhizomatous perennial plant of the Iris Family (Iridaceae) with long, rigid, sword-like green leaves. This species is common in horticulture in its native South Africa, where it is often used in public gardens, beautification of commercial premises and along roadsides.

How to grow it

Plants prefer dappled shade to full sun where they will flower in profusion, though they will grow in shaded areas (with an accompanying loss of flower production). Under favourable conditions, the clumps multiply rapidly. Dietes grandiflora are drought and frost hardy, making them popular for en masse plantings. They are frequently called "Fortnight Lilies" because they typically bloom for two weeks, followed by two weeks of rest.

Other Dietes plants

African lily · Forest Iris · Yellow Wood Iris · Painted Lady · Lord Howe wedding lily · African irises

Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Dietes grandiflora by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts are shared under the same licence.

Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.

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