White African Iris

Light Needs

Partial Shade to Full Sun

(At Least 3 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

2-3 Feet

Mature Spread

3-4 Feet

Growing Zones

8 to 11

Beautiful blooms and spiky upright foliage give this sun-loving and easy-care plant a striking appearance. The White African Iris, also known as Dietes iridioides or Fortnight Lily, boasts tall grass-like foliage and lovely white flowers with curled petals that feature blue-purple and yellow markings. Each flower lasts for a day or two, but the plant continuously blooms from spring into the fall. 

The naturally clumping growth habit creates a full and lush appearance that will allow this plant to stand out in borders, mixed beds, mass plantings, or containers. This plant is native to eastern and southern Africa, but in the U.S., it grows as a perennial in zones 8 through 11. The White African Iris attracts pollinators like butterflies and birds while also being heat, drought, and disease tolerant. 

White African Iris Plant Care

The White African Iris requires full sun to part shade, so about 4 to 6 hours of sunlight daily. Too much light can be damaging, but too little light will result in fewer blooms, so it’s essential to find the right spot so this beauty can thrive. Use rich, slightly acidic to alkaline soil with a pH between 6.1 and 7.8. Water when the top couple of inches of soil dries out. 

Remove spent blooms to keep the plant looking neat and well maintained. This plant is not a heavy feeder, but applying a balanced fertilizer in the spring will help it start the growing season off strong.

White African Iris Plant Spacing

Once mature, this clump-forming perennial will be 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. Space the plants 4 feet apart to allow room for growth or create a seamless mass planting by spreading the plants 2 feet apart.