Wild Iris Fairy Iris Dietes grandiflora 100 Seeds USA Company

Dietes iridioides, commonly called Fairy Iris or African iris, comes from eastern and southern Africa. It is a rhizomatous evergreen perennial that generally resemble beardless iris and grows 2-4’ tall. It produces fan-shaped clumps of iris-like, narrow, sword-shaped, basal, evergreen leaves. Flowers appear on branched stalks. In frost-free areas, plants bloom spring to fall and intermittently throughout winter. Flowers last one day, but are quickly replaced. Each flower (to 3” wide) is white with yellow and blue markings. Each flower stalk carries a large supply of buds. Flowering occurs in bloom bursts that often occur at 2 week intervals, hence the sometimes used common name of fortnight lily (though it is not a lily). Fruit is an obovoid capsule. Dietes iridioides is synonymous with Dietes vegeta and Moraea iridioides. Where winter hardy, these plants are popular landscape plants that are often massed in low maintenance garden areas. They have long-blooming accent value. In temperate regions, plants are best grown as annuals or in greenhouses, conservatories or in containers placed outside during frost free months. Winter hardy to USDA Zones 9-11 where plants may easily be grown in moist, moderately fertile, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Best flowering occurs in full sun, but plants may appreciate some part light afternoon shade. Plants tolerate some soil dryness, but are best grown with regular moisture. Remove seed pods as they begin to form to encourage additional bloom. Flower stems should not be removed after bloom.

Growing Instructions

1. Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours.
2. Put a mixture of potting soil and sand or perlite into a pot with drainage holes in the base.
3. Sow the seeds on the soil.
4. Cover the seeds with a layer of soil that is 0.5 inches thick.
5. Water the seeds. Keep the soil moist but not wet.
6. The seeds take 2-4 weeks to germinate.
7. When the plants are a few inches tall, they can be transplanted.