African iris

Native to eastern and southern Africa, the African iris is also known as the Wild Iris, Fortnight Lily, and Indawo-yehlathi (Africa).

This plant is a rhizomatous evergreen perennial which has exotic white flowers with yellow and purple-blue markings rising from stiff, branched stalks. The plant grows 2-3' tall and 3-4' wide. The flowers resemble small Japanese irises and last only one day but are quickly replaced. The seedpods of the plant often bend the stalks down to the ground where they have a better chance of propagating a new generation of plants. Plant is self-pollinating.

Partial to full sun, the African iris blooms spring through late fall and well into winter in mild climates.

Traditional Cultural and Medicinal Usages

• Ornamental. Fire resistant
• Rhizome infusions taken orally to treat dysentery and hypertension (Africa)
• There is a belief in one African culture that one needs to chew on the rhizome and spit it on the ground following a funeral to remove bad luck