White African Iris Plant – Dietes iridioides (Fortnight Lily, Live Starter Plant)

The White African Iris plant (Dietes iridioides) is also known as the fortnight lily. In fact, it is one of the toughest and most elegant evergreen perennials you can plant. Specifically, it sends up delicate, iris-like white flowers, marked with cheerful yellow-orange blotches and soft violet centers, above neat fans of sword-like foliage. The blooms appear in repeat flushes about every two weeks through the warm season. That habit is exactly how the fortnight lily earned its name. Practically carefree and beautifully architectural, the White African Iris plant brings year-round structure and recurring color to any landscape.

Why Grow a White African Iris Plant?

• Long, repeat bloom season – elegant white iris-like flowers appear in fortnightly bursts from spring through fall, and nearly year-round in mild climates.
• Tough & evergreen – crisp, sword-shaped foliage stays green all year, so it provides reliable garden structure.
• Drought- & heat-tolerant – thrives with regular water yet shrugs off dry spells once established; it even tolerates poor soils and coastal conditions.
• Deer- & rabbit-resistant – generally left alone by wildlife and rarely troubled by pests.
• Versatile & low-maintenance – also excellent as a groundcover, border, mass planting, container plant, or accent near water features.

Love easy, dependable plants? Browse more in our Flowering Plants and Groundcovers & Border Plants collections.

Plant Specifications at a Glance

• Botanical name: Dietes iridioides (syn. Dietes vegeta, Moraea iridioides)
• Also known as: White African iris, fortnight lily, butterfly iris, Cape iris, wild iris
• Plant type: Evergreen, rhizomatous, clumping perennial
• Plant family: Iridaceae (the iris family)
• Mature size: typically 2–4 feet tall and wide, with flower stalks rising above the foliage
• Bloom season: Spring through fall (nearly year-round in mild climates), in repeat fortnightly flushes
• Flowers: White, iris-like blooms marked with yellow-orange and violet
• Cold Hardiness Zones: 8–11

White African Iris Care & Growing Guide

The White African Iris plant is famously low-maintenance once established. Follow these simple guidelines:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade. The best flowering comes in full sun. In hot climates, though, it appreciates light afternoon shade.
• Water: Water young plants regularly to establish a strong root system. Once mature, water only occasionally, since it tolerates moderate drought. During long dry spells, water more often.
• Soil: Dry to moist, well-drained soil. It adapts to a wide range of conditions, and it even tolerates poor soil and damp spots near water.
• Cold Hardiness Zone: 8–11.
• Maintenance: Remove spent seed pods to encourage more blooms and limit self-seeding, and clip away dead leaves. Leave the flower stalks in place after blooming, because they re-flower from the same stems. So only cut a stalk once it is completely finished.

Ways to Use White African Iris in the Landscape

This dependable, design-friendly perennial works almost anywhere. Popular uses for the White African Iris plant include:

• Borders, edging, and foundation plantings
• Evergreen groundcover, including under trees and in dappled shade
• Likewise, mass plantings give a bold, bouquet-like effect
• Containers, rock gardens, and woodland gardens
• Rain gardens, water features, and coastal landscapes

It pairs beautifully with other tough, sun-loving plants. For example, gardeners often combine it with the grassy Liriope Aztec or the drought-tolerant Bulbine Hallmark Orange for contrasting texture and color.

What You’ll Receive

These are live White African Iris starter plants, grown and shipped by Carlo’s Plant Farm. Each plant is less than 12 inches tall when we ship it. The listing photos show mature plants of the same species. That way, you can see how yours will look as they grow and bloom. Finally, choose your preferred bundle size using the options above.

Also, due to different state laws, we reserve the right to charge extra fees where necessary to comply.

Ordering, Shipping & Returns

Every order ships free and is insured against loss or damage in transit. For full details on how we pack and send your plants, processing and delivery times, and what to do in the rare case of a problem, please review our Shipping Policy and Terms & Conditions before purchasing. By placing an order, you agree to those terms.

White African Iris FAQ

Growing & Care Questions

Hardiness, Buying & Shipping Questions