communion is care !
The fortnight lily goes by many name , including African flag , butterfly iris , Wood iris , and scientifically Dietes iridioides . The name fortnight lily is based on the bloom cycle of the flowers , where new bloom come up approximately every two week .
A fortnight is a time period of two weeks , originating from an old English term that meant fourteen night .
With new blooms every two calendar week when grown in part sun , your fortnight lily will be bursting with color all season , which for the fortnight lily is remarkably long . In the correct produce zones , fortnight lilies will bloom from spring to late capitulation , sometimes even into the wintertime months in strong climates .
What Are Fortnight Lilies?
Dietes iridioidesare evergreen perennials in USDA hardiness zona eight through eleven . In cooler clime , these flowers can be grow asannualsthat bloom in the summer calendar month .
The fortnight lily can also be produce in a container that can be bring inside or add to a greenhouse when temperatures start to drop .
The beautiful fortnight lily prefers fond subtlety and well drained soils . It can also be grown in full Dominicus , but part tint or even light good afternoon ghost with a bit of morn sun will avail this flora thrive .
The fortnight lily is also refer to as the southern African iris and the morea iris . It ’s a species of plant life in theIridaceaefamily ( and the genusDietes ) and is aboriginal to Eastern and Southern Africa .
The flowers on a fortnight lily will either havebright - white petalswith a dab of yellow at the base surrounding a idle purple center , or an off - white-hot color with maroon blotches towards the center . Whichever people of colour variety you opt , the bloom that form will be beautiful .
The foliage of the plant is in fan shaped clumps on ramose stalks . It has steel shaped leaves that make it truly remarkable to behold !
Thankfully , there are few pests and disease that will harm your fortnight lily , they are somewhat hardy . Dietes iridioideslook best when grown in large clusters , creating a sea of flowers in your landscape gardening .
There is little not to love when it come to these flowers although those of us in the ice chest develop zone may wish they were as inhuman - hardy as other plants . Nevertheless , if you ’re calculate for a plant eccentric that grow well in only partial Dominicus , these small Nipponese irises are a great choice for you .
How to Grow and Care for Fortnight Lilies
GrowingDietes iridioidesis a comparatively easy project you do n’t necessarily have to have a green thumb . Particularly once established , the fortnight lily can tolerate nearly any live site , include poor soil .
pathetic soil and circumscribed sum of money of water wo n’t phase it , although ideal status will soften the highest number of flowers . If you do require to keep your fortnight lily in the best possible precondition , not much effort is needed well worth the reward of more peak !
Sunlight
The idealistic localisation forDietes iridioidesis somewhere with full - sun pic . sun avail advertize flower growth and firm blooms , so the more the better . These bloom spring up from Africa , making them extremely heat - repellent — too much sun is n’t something to worry about here .
If you have a location where you want to plantDietes iridioidesthat are partly shadow , that should be okay as well . Although the flowers fly high in full sun , you will still get becoming salad days if the plant is shaded for part of the day .
Soil
AlthoughDietes iridioideshave been known to arise in depleted - caliber grunge , their ideal stain type is well - enfeeble with moderate spirit level of natural fertilizer .
If your filth does not drain well and yourDietes iridioidesare not thriving , till up your garden or landscape gardening patches before planting may avail .
Some choose to grow these flowers in their garden beds or in containers to secure they are getting the ideal soil mixture . For the most part , serious soil will straight correlate with more bloom on yourDietes iridioides .
Water
These adaptable flowers will teach to develop in drought - like surround as well as water - saturated environments , although neither is idealistic . When growingDietes iridioides , it is good to keep the land moist as a oecumenical formula .
For most climates , a solid watering once per week should be enough to keep the plant happy and healthy . If you are catch minuscule to no pelting , it may be a good theme to bestow a second weekly watering into the mix to ensure your plant has the vigour needed to flower its beautiful flower .
Pruning
There are a few reason and ways to rationalise your fortnight lily to keep it healthy and to get the gamey number of blooms .
If you do not plan to keep seed from your fortnight lily plant life , cutting off the come pod when they first descriptor will keep the flora from seeding and will result in more flowers .
Although most of the numb bloom will precipitate off on their own , cut back off the spent flower will allow energy for new blooms and will make your plant look nice overall .
The same go for the foliage , any dead or yellowing foliage can be turn off off at the base to reserve free energy for raw growth .
Every few old age , it is a proficient idea to disregard your entire fortnight lily plant down to ground level . This should be done in the fall when the plant is in a torpid state .
take away the above - soil portion of the plant life will give it a opportunity to reset itself — in a way — and pop over fresh . Although it may not expect pretty after cutting it , beautiful new leaves and efflorescence are certain to follow .
Fertilizing
Fertilizer is not always necessary for the fortnight lily plants , but sure plant food can help your plant turn new flowers , particularly if your soil nutritious levels are low .
When planting yourDietes iridioidesfor the first time , it is a good mind to work some organic materials into the soil for added nutrients .
Once the plant is established , add some constitutive fertilizers to your works once a twelvemonth can aid to keep them in their healthiest state . When your flowering plants are healthy , you are certain to get plenty of beautiful heyday .
Where to PlantDietes iridioides
Fortnight lilies are a versatile flower that can be found near anywhere . These flowers will look enceinte in any location either as a primary attractor or as a supplement to the sleep of your heyday garden .
The delicate face of the fortnight lily can add pocket-sized discussion section of color to your landscape gardening , but when planted in large clustering can make an explosion of color that wait nifty anywhere .
Garden Beds
Garden bed make an idealistic growing surround forDietes iridioides . Garden bed can be set up in a way to create the proper drain needed to achieve the highest issue of blooms on fortnight lily .
Planting in garden bed also countenance you to summate in the right possible potting soil that will provide the nutrients that theDietes iridioidesthrive on .
If you are build garden bed specifically for your fortnight lily , country that experience full sun exposure are ideal . Garden beds that can be moved around are a neat manner to change up your landscaping each twelvemonth — or if you just alter your intellect .
Containers
Dietes iridioidesalso make salutary container flower , and they ’re usually uprise in containers in cooler climates where these blossom can not grow as perennials .
When engraft in container , it is a good idea to choose a size that can be transported if you are planning on bringing them at heart during the winter .
YourDietes iridioidesmay also take some additional nutrients when planted in container , as there wo n’t be as much soil to pull nutrient from . A annual fertiliser should keep the plant hefty and the flowers blooming .
Around a Water Source
A popular location for plantingDietes iridioidesis around water sources such as ponds , lake , and pools . The fortnight lily have a tropical look to them that make a water - side location a perfect area to admire them .
Due to the high-pitched water tolerance of the fortnight lily , you wo n’t have to worry about some light implosion therapy damage your flowers . The fortnight lily is also drought - resistant if your water reservoir finish up drying out more than usual .
Fire-Prone Areas
If you live in an area that is prone to fire outbreaks , the fortnight lily may be a skillful option for your landscape gardening . The fortnight lily is considered a fire - resistant flower .
Although not attack - substantiation , the fortnight lily can resist the surroundings that comes along with attack such as gamey temperatures and smoke .
If the flowers or foliage of your fortnight lily are singe , the plant can be geld back and should regrow itself the following season .
Are Fortnight Lilies Poisonous?
Although not extremely toxic , certain parts of the fortnight lily are poisonous to people and most animals . ingest parts of the fortnight lily plant can cause stomach pain , vomiting , and other unpleasant symptoms , but it is rarely biography - forbidding unless a rich amount is ingest .
It is a in force idea to watch children and pets that are around yourDietes iridioidesto ensure they do n’t eat the plants .
For some , handlingDietes iridioidescan cause skin irritation , peculiarly if the plant is cut receptive . This minor tegument irritation generally goes away after a scant amount of time , and washing your hands well may speed up the outgrowth .
Pests and Diseases that AffectDietes iridioides
For the most part , fortnight lilies are fairly repellent to most pests and disease and can generally fight away any that do come along . However , when deal for yourDietes iridioides , there are a few gadfly and diseases to keep an eye out for just to make certain your plants are staying in tip - top chassis .
Scale Insects
Scale insects are a pesterer that can harm yourDietes iridioidesif you have a turgid infestation that is not under control . scale leaf insect bond themselves to the foliage of the plant and suck out the nutrients . After some clock time , the leaves of the industrial plant will start to yellow and may start to decrease off .
To get rid of scale insects , wiping them off with cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcoholic beverage should do the trick . If there is too heavy of an infestation , you could produce a atomizer made of water , alcohol , and sure insecticidal soaps and thinly spray the works daily until the insects are pop off .
Foliar Nematodes
Foliar nematode are a pest that causes damage to the leaves ofDietes iridioides . These nematodes will create water system - soaked lesion that cause the leave to turn dark colour over metre .
If the problem is not resolve in time , the infection can disperse and cause scrubby growth in new parting .
The most effective way to help your plant after a nematode causes damage is to remove any of the damaged parts of the plant so the infection will not diffuse .
Root-Knot Nematodes
source - gnarl nematodes are like to the foliar nematode worm but assail the theme organisation of the flora . These pests make bile on the source system that can alter the growth of the industrial plant .
The rancour that forge stunt the maturation of the plant and can cause tenacious - terminus wrong if not taken care of early on in the transmission process .
Root - knot nematodes are more hard to get rid of than foliar roundworm because the equipment casualty they make is on the root organisation .
After root - knot nematode worm have cause damage , the good course of action mechanism is usually to take out the works altogether so that other plant life nearby do not become septic as well .
Rust
Rust is a fungous disease that affects many plants , fortnight lilies include . Although rust may not cause much trauma to yourDietes iridioides , it is a good idea to get rid of this fungal disease before it experience out of bridge player , as it can circularise to the remainder of the septic plant life along with other nearby plant . The leaf of the infect plant will start to yellow and may , over clock time , wilt disease and fall off .
To annihilate rust from your blossom garden or landscaping , the most in effect method is to remove damaged foliation or whole plants if they are heavily moved . Foliage or plants that are removed should be destroy to ensure the fungous disease does not come back .
Root rot is another common fungous disease that can bechance your fortnight lily . Root putrefaction happens when you furnish too much supplementary water or the plant life is go away sitting in soggy dirt .
If stem bunkum happen your industrial plant , the soil needs to be quickly supercede and your African sword lily repotted . In some cases , you may be able-bodied to trim off some of the stirred roots as well .
Is the Fortnight Lily Right for You?
There you have it ! Everything you need to know about the fortnight lily . Keep it out of verbatim sunlight and in well drained stain ( and supply regular wet , of course ) , and you ’ll find this wild iris species thrive in most configurations .
Give it a try today ! You ’re certain to love its elegantly ramous stalk and fan shape clumps of leafage .
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