Dietes bicolor – Evergreen Iris – Iridaceae (The Iris Family)

Description Dietes bicolor, commonly known as evergreen or African iris, has erect, sword-like foliage and flat, light yellow flowers with brown and dark yellow markings. The flowers last no longer than two days but new blooms continuously replace them. Each flower measures about two inches across and each stalk produces considerable numbers of buds. Flowering is said to occur in bursts every two weeks, which is why it is also known as the fortnight lily. This rhizomatous evergreen perennial is potentially hardy in protected microclimates of the West Coast (sometimes listed as zone 8 and sometimes as zone 9) but is best moved indoors for the winter months. When grown in container or garden soil, the foliage typically reaches three feet tall. But when grown as a marginal in ponds, plants typically grow to 4-5 feet tall making this a fantastic addition to a water garden. Best in rich, average to wet soils but can also tolerate moderately dry soil conditions. Photo credit: Wikimedia.