Anyone growing African Iris in the low country or midlands?

I succumbed to an impulse yesterday and bought one pot of African Iris (Dietes iridioides).
I had thought to plant them in a sheltered, fairly sunny but very moist spot by a small container water garden.

Then I did some more reading and it's constantly described as drought tolerant...which sounds like it might not like soggy spots.
Also, zone 8 is apparently the top end of its range.

So, my question is: Would you think it would do well in a place where it's feet are shaded and it's a bit moist? Or should it be in a much drier, equally sunny spot, but not sheltered? If you have some, and they do well, then tell me what sort of conditions you have yours in.

Thanks!
Deb
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Some good comments about culture on the Plantfiles page
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/572/

Yes, thanks, Pyro. I did read the comments there and I saw it is considered "invasive" by many. Don't see anything about hardiness, but it does seem to do ok in this zone (8a-b).

I couldn't resist it when I saw them going cheap at Hm. Dep. I never learn. :)

Hmm, may have to make a HD run -
What colors did you get or are they only one color? I love getting HD clearance, plant for next year - I can wait!
Invasive is often a term that is used like weed. Plants that are sturdy, easy to grow, and competitive with other less desirable weeds..
I have many places in my yard where I want just such plants!

;->
The photo on the tag is the white with the slight blue and yellow accents, just like most of the pics in PF.
They were all the same tag. There were 3 fans in each pot and they were $5.
I imagine they'll get alot cheaper shortly, but they weren't yet on the "buy this before we kill it" rack.
Deb

Ooohh, you enabler, you! I will have to check tomorrow.

I didn't read the PF info but I can tell you from experience they are not invasive here. Maybe my soil is too heavy or something but I have never seen them be a pest even on sandy soils. They are drought tolerant but, like most plants, they bloom much heavier with water and food.

Thanks, Ardesia.

Rats, only iris they had at my HSD were the big bearded ones for $15

They did have a very nice white Salvia nemorosa Snowhill

I hope they still have some, I am going today!!

Pyro: ..and did someone come home with a Salvia nemerosa Snowhill??? ;->

Here they had those big ones out front, but the Africans were inside the enclosure, just stuck at the end of a row.

Yes, I did come home with a Snowhill --- shh, don't tell hubby ;->

The big ones were out front here, too. I looked all over that store and could not find a African one - may be just Lowcountry stores. Will check the one over in Lexington today.

It looks like what I have been told was "wandering iris". It does indeed seem very drought tolerant. I have not found it to be invasive but it will spread. It has been pretty easy to control.

Thanks, Margocstn.
I'm still dithering on where to plant it. :)

The flowers are similar to the walking iris (neomarica gracilis) but the foliage on the African iris (dietes)is more grass like and it forms large clumps.

Deb, I went to HD today and they still had several. I bought 2. Then I went across the street to Lowes and they had a few vareigated purple Iris's (cant remember the name at the moment). So I bought 2 of those also! DH will not be happy :-( .....most women hide shoes, I hide plants:-)

Deb, please excuse me if my question is hijacking your thread, but I'm guessing the walking iris is hardy only on the coast and not in my 8a garden, right?

I grew the walking iris in Spring Valley for many years. The only time I tried the African Iris up there it did not make it. That doesn't necessarily mean it is not hardy there, it could have been my doing.

This message was edited Apr 22, 2009 12:10 AM

Fleurs, I have walking iris (Neomarica gracilis) and they have done very well for me and I'm officially zone 8a. The late freezes this year burnt them but didn't kill them.

This will be my first try with the African Iris (dietes), though. I'm pretty sure I'm at the upper edge of their hardiness - at least for them to remain evergreen. Still can't decide where to plant them, darn it!

Ascholz: Oh no! I'm becoming an enabler!! I don't hide the plants, just the plants' price tags. ;->

Deb

I grew the walking iris successfully for many years in NE Columbia but the one time I tried the African iris up there they did not make it.

Deb, just caught this thread, and I am making a guess here because we live in slightly different climates, but if I were growing it here, I would put any moraea (dietes) in a full sun, dry, hot site....I have no sheltered areas really but it wouldn't hurt. If you site it in a place that's generally dry you can still water but you're protecting the plant somewhat from the winter moisture that most Cape bulbs don't like. I don't think it would flower in a shady spot, and I wonder if it will stay evergreen or die back there?

Tropicanna: Yep, that's why I was thinking of a protected area, where it might not get quite as cold as out in the open.
I think I will take your advice though, as there is an absolutely perfect spot for them which is sunny and fairly dry, but easily watered when needed. It's out in the open though, so we'll see what happens later.
I really do want to see them flower, and if I put it in that spot, and they die back, it won't be obvious - and hopefully they will return in spring. :)
Thanks.

Good luck, would love to see pictures of it in bloom, there were some at Lowe's last year but it was too late in the season for it to get established before winter, they are soo pretty!

Sorry this is such a pitiful picture but I took it from a moving car (and I was the driver, YIKES).

You'll just have to experiment Deb. Obviously they perform differently in different areas. We are lots warmer than you and Trop is much cooler. You'll have to be the guinea pig for your area. This spot is under a spreading Live Oak, I think you would call it filtered shade. It is in a bed that gets heavily fertilized and watered so go figure. I have some on dry shade that rarely bloom and the ones in full sun are sparse bloomers also. I have a suspicion it is the fertilizer that keeps these guys happy.

I'd kill for a spreading Live Oak. LOL.
They do look verrrry happy there. Which gives me an idea for another possible spot in my garden if these do well.
I planted them last evening. Perhaps I'll toss in some fertilizer this weekend. Not sure what type would be best, though.

Great "drive by photography" by the way. ;>

Deb

oh ardesia! seriously coveting that scene, they are soo beautiful!

I need to clarify myself on the dry spot thing. In marginal areas where there are freezing winters like here, it's the combination of cold/wet that many SA bulbs hate. I think generally speaking the red clay soil in this area makes it worse because you have to really amend for good drainage. That said, moraea vegata is more tolerant of clay soils and moisture....but I can't imagine I'd ever be able to pull it off here without full sun. my walking irises, neomarica and c. 'Regina' appear to still be alive at the base but no growth from trying them out last year

still can't get over how pretty they are in your yard ardesia :)

YY! I got some Walking Iris today from the local career center sale - nice big fans for $3 each, so I bought 2 (to help out the kids, too).

Okay, so did you guys have those WI in the ground or in pots?

I am trying to decide where to plant the dietes that I got last week at Lowes, I have 2 very distinct areas of my yard that get full sun, one with more clay-y and one that is fairly loamy, but has that yellow clay underneath (about 12" down). Would I be better off raising a section and putting sandy loam in it? I have several large nursery pots that I can use as raised "beds" to get them up about 6 inches above the regular surface. One spot is near a low brick wall which retains a lot of heat in the winter, too.

Oh thank you, but those were not mine (which look sort of pitiful.) I took that picture, out the window of my car, it is a bed in my neighborhood.

Pyro, my walkng iris were in the ground in Columbia.

I meant to say neomarica gracilis and Regina...type too fast sometimes

pyro, I think either spot sounds good, y'all in SC won't have to work the soil as much because it's so much sandier there, even on the Appalachian end of the border it seemed the soil magically lightened up when you cross over..lol! I'd throw in some compost and bone meal when planting, good luck!

Both my walking irises that I left outside were in raised, amended, baking sun beds. I can tell they're still alve at the very base, but I'm doubtful they'll grow enough to flower. I still have some in the GH so not a total loss, but it's hard to keep around many plants that have no chance of ever doing well outside. I was happy to see that they are alive though

Ardesia, were the WI in sun or shade? Pinetrees?

I would say semi shade - yes, they were under pine trees. The soil in my neighborhood was pure sand - except for my property. I had kaolin clay, pure white and hard as a porcelain dinner plate.

What would you think is the best fertilizer for the African Iris?

I planted African Iris this year that I bought at Lowes,a nd they are doing very well. I just bought two pots of a variegated iris that has purple blooms yesterday at Lowes.....only $5.98 each. I might go back and buy some more. LOL

HostaLily: Have the African Iris bloomed for you?

Deb..

not yet..but they are very healthy and I expect them too. At least I am being optomistic! LOL

Bump
Anything new with those African Irises?

My clumps are going strong, nice and healthy...but no flowers..yet.

Leah

Same here. Foliage looks very happy. Nothin' bloomin' yet.