Dietes - Plant of the Week

One of the great things about our Plant of the Week is that it is virtually unkillable.

A great choice for lazy gardeners!

Plant Details

Common name: Dietes
Botanic name: Dietes iridioides
Description: A clump-forming, rhizomatous perennial from South Africa. It has dark green, strappy foliage, which grows in fan-like rosettes. In spring it produces white, yellow and mauve, iris-like flowers on tall stems. The flowers are followed by 3-celled capsules containing numerous seeds.
Best climate: Dietes grows in most areas of Australia.
Best look: mass plantings foliage contrast plant
Good points:   attractive foliage and flowers long flowering hardy low maintenance
Downside: Can look scruffy if neglected.
Care: Grow in full sun or part shade. Although tolerant of tough conditions, Dietes will perform best in well-drained soil, rich in organic material. Fertilise occasionally and water during dry spells. Do not remove flower stems as they continue to flower for several years. Propagate by seed or by division of established clumps.
Getting started: Dietes iridioides is readily available at nurseries. It costs around $16 for a 200mm (8") pot.

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