Dietes bicolor - Peacock Flower

Family: Iridaceae

Common Name(s): Yellow Wild Iris, Peacock Flower, Butterfly Iris

Native to: South Africa

Flowering: Spring-Summer

Watering: Keep the slightly soil moist during the growing season

Planting Aspect: Full Sun, Part Shade

Preferred Climate:

 

Temperate, Subtropical, Tropical, Grassland

Description

An evergreen, rhizomatous perennial grown for its attractive iris-like flowers. Dietes has leathery, erect, pale green sword shaped leaves formed in large clumps and erect flower stems growing to 90cm in height. It regularly produces pale yellow flowers with each of the larger 3 petals having a central brown mark. Each bloom usually only lasts for one day, but new buds open continuously over a long period in spring and summer. They are moderately frost hardy and tough enough to serve as low hedges.

Cultivation

Dietes thrive in full sun or part shade and prefer compost rich, well drained soil that does not dry out to quickly. They can be grown in most soils varying from mildly acidic to mildly alkaline. Plant them out 45 to 60cm apart and simply add some organic fertiliser to the base soil. The plants may take up to 2 years to establish and begin flowering, however occasional applications of flower promoting fertilisers will cause the number of blooms to explode.