FoliageAfrican Iris (Fortnight Lily)
Dietes iridioides
African Iris (Fortnight Lily) (Dietes iridioides) is a medium-growing perennial, hardy in USDA zones 9-11, that matures to about 2-4 ft × 2-3 ft. It does best in full sun and part shade with medium water needs in well-drained soil. Expect blue, yellow and purple blooms in spring and fall. It stands up well to drought, grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 9-11
- Sun
- Full sun, Part shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 2-4 ft × 2-3 ft
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Maintenance
- Medium
- Soil
- Well-drained
- Bloom color
- Blue, Yellow, Purple, White
- Bloom season
- Spring, Fall
- Tough against
- Drought
- Native to
- Southern and eastern Africa
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — African Iris (Fortnight Lily) is hardy to about 20°F (estimated from USDA zone 9), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
See the African Iris (Fortnight Lily) in your own yard
Upload a photo and our AI designs with real plants like this one — matched to your USDA zone.
