White African Iris (Dietes iridioides) flowers grow on tall stalks above the stiff, erect, strap-shaped evergreen foliage. Each flower lasts only one day. Several flowers may bloom on the same flower stem either at the same time or in succession.
In Florida, African Iris, Dietes iridioides, is an evergreen, perennial, tropical-to-subtropical exotic plant that requires little to no maintenance, is drought-tolerant and generally pest- and disease-free. It is a commonly used ornamental species, here seen in On Top of the World subdivision in southwest Ocala.
Parts of a dietes flower include three lower outside sepals called “falls.” The falls have a central patch of yellow called a “signal” or “beard.” Three erect petals form a “standard” inside the sepals.
Dietes grows into a clump of tall, stiff, erect, strap- or sword-shaped leaves. Large, mature clumps can be dug up and the underground rhizomes divided to be planted as new smaller plants. African Iris flowers from March through to summer in Central Florida.
Yellow African Iris, Dietes bicolor, has dark purple, almost black signal spots on the three outside sepals. After flowers are pollinated, green seed pods develop that can weigh the flower stalk down, causing it to arch to the ground. Dark seeds can be harvested when the pod dries and splits open.
Yellow African Iris has been bred to produce almost-white and creamy white flowers. Bare-root rhizomes are sold online and ship without soil. Order from a reputable grower in the U.S. — the closer to home, the better. Order by scientific name and determine the size of the rhizome before buying.
These seedpods indicate there were at least five flowers on the flower stalk. Their weight causes them to bend so the pods arch over the soil beyond the clump of leaves. Ripe seed pods dry to a tan-gray and split open to release their hard, dark seeds. Seeds are eaten by birds, small mammals, insects and other wildlife.
This Dietes iridioides flower shows the three lower sepals, called falls, with a yellow patch called a signal or beard on the inner ends. The three white petals are called standards, while the central three pale purple structures are style arms. The receptive female stigma and pollen tipped anther are hidden underneath the style arms.
Two seed pods swell after the dietes flower is pollinated. Seeds develop inside the three-part capsule. Once mature, the outside pod will dry and split open to release the hard, dark brown seeds. Seeds may germinate near the original clump or be dispersed farther afield by wildlife.
This dietes African Iris flower stalk had at least five flowers that each bloomed for only a day in Linda and Bruce Anderson’s Rolling Hills garden east of Dunnellon. The homeowners have no irrigation and amended the soil only once when they planted the dietes about eight years ago in the well-drained sandhills. Nearby tall Longleaf Pines, Pinus palustris, and Sand Live Oaks, Quercus geminate, provide high dappled shade.
Fan-shaped sets of flat dietes leaves rise from thick underground rhizomes. Older, inefficient leaves are shed naturally. Gardeners can snip them off for a tidier looking plant.
White African Iris (Dietes iridioides) flowers grow on tall stalks above the stiff, erect, strap-shaped evergreen foliage. Each flower lasts only one day. Several flowers may bloom on the same flower stem either at the same time or in succession.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
In Florida, African Iris, Dietes iridioides, is an evergreen, perennial, tropical-to-subtropical exotic plant that requires little to no maintenance, is drought-tolerant and generally pest- and disease-free. It is a commonly used ornamental species, here seen in On Top of the World subdivision in southwest Ocala.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Parts of a dietes flower include three lower outside sepals called “falls.” The falls have a central patch of yellow called a “signal” or “beard.” Three erect petals form a “standard” inside the sepals.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Dietes grows into a clump of tall, stiff, erect, strap- or sword-shaped leaves. Large, mature clumps can be dug up and the underground rhizomes divided to be planted as new smaller plants. African Iris flowers from March through to summer in Central Florida.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Yellow African Iris, Dietes bicolor, has dark purple, almost black signal spots on the three outside sepals. After flowers are pollinated, green seed pods develop that can weigh the flower stalk down, causing it to arch to the ground. Dark seeds can be harvested when the pod dries and splits open.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Yellow African Iris has been bred to produce almost-white and creamy white flowers. Bare-root rhizomes are sold online and ship without soil. Order from a reputable grower in the U.S. — the closer to home, the better. Order by scientific name and determine the size of the rhizome before buying.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
These seedpods indicate there were at least five flowers on the flower stalk. Their weight causes them to bend so the pods arch over the soil beyond the clump of leaves. Ripe seed pods dry to a tan-gray and split open to release their hard, dark seeds. Seeds are eaten by birds, small mammals, insects and other wildlife.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
This Dietes iridioides flower shows the three lower sepals, called falls, with a yellow patch called a signal or beard on the inner ends. The three white petals are called standards, while the central three pale purple structures are style arms. The receptive female stigma and pollen tipped anther are hidden underneath the style arms.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Two seed pods swell after the dietes flower is pollinated. Seeds develop inside the three-part capsule. Once mature, the outside pod will dry and split open to release the hard, dark brown seeds. Seeds may germinate near the original clump or be dispersed farther afield by wildlife.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
This dietes African Iris flower stalk had at least five flowers that each bloomed for only a day in Linda and Bruce Anderson’s Rolling Hills garden east of Dunnellon. The homeowners have no irrigation and amended the soil only once when they planted the dietes about eight years ago in the well-drained sandhills. Nearby tall Longleaf Pines, Pinus palustris, and Sand Live Oaks, Quercus geminate, provide high dappled shade.
Jane Weber/Special to the Chronicle
Fan-shaped sets of flat dietes leaves rise from thick underground rhizomes. Older, inefficient leaves are shed naturally. Gardeners can snip them off for a tidier looking plant.
The Dietes genus contains six species of rhizomatous iris plants of the family Iridaceae. First described as a genus in 1866, several common names are used globally in different regions. Irises typically have flat, strap-shaped, stiff leaves. Other well-known iris family genera include Crocus, Freesia, Gladiolus, Iris and Sisyrinchium (blue-eyed iris). Florida has several native iris and sisyrinchium plants available from native nurseries and growers.
The common Dietes iridioides is called African Iris, Fortnight Lily, Wild African Iris, Butterfly Flag and Peacock Flower. Exotic D. iridiodes is evergreen, perennial, non-invasive, drought-tolerant, fire resistant, pest free and frost-hardy. It has exotic looking white flowers with yellow and purplish-blue markings atop tall flower stalks growing amid clumps of stiff, flat, strap-like evergreen leaves. It blooms from late winter through spring to summer. Each flower lasts only one day; new flowers open daily.
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PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.