Dietes grandiflora - Large Wild Iris, Fairy Iris Seeds - South African Indigenous Perennial Bulb

Dietes grandiflora Seeds

Large Wild Iris, Fairy Iris

Dietes is a small perennial rhizomatous genus in the Iridaceae family with about 6 accepted species. Common names include Wood Iris, Fortnight Lily, African Iris, Japanese Iris and Butterfly Iris, each of which may be used differently in different regions for one or more of the species within the genus. Most of the species are from tropical and South Africa, but there is one, Dietes robinsoniana, that originates on Lord Howe Island off the coast of Australia. These evergreen plants have long, sword-shaped leaves and white or yellow flowers with three large outer segments. The flowers are similar to Moraea and Iris. South African indigenous species are drought tolerant but will produce luxuriant plants with good watering. Because of this property they are often used in city landscaping. The genus name comes from the Greek words di, meaning two, and etes, which means an associate. It literally means having two relatives and refers to the relationship between this genus and Moraea and Iris. Dietes grandiflora, commonly known as Large Wild Iris or Fairy Iris, is commonly grown in gardens and used in large landscapes throughout the country. It is a perennial, evergreen plant which grows up to 1.5m in large clumps. It grows naturally along the eastern coastal areas of the southern Cape, Eastern Cape and southern Kwazulu-Natal where it may be found in full sun or partial shade at forest margins, or in the shelter of taller shrubs on exposed slopes facing the sea. The specific name, grandiflora, means large flower. The attractive flowers are large (about 10cm across) and are white with yellow nectar guides and outer tepals and violet central segments. The flowers are held on erect, slender stems which are about 1m in length. The flowers are borne in mass at certain periods - often after rain in summer. The individual flowers do not last more than a couple of days (so are of no use in a vase) however, the plant bears so many flowers during the peak period that the plant looks most striking. The flowers attract lots of bees and other pollinators.