Dietes bicolor

Dietes bicolor, sometimes called Yellow Wild Iris, is a beautiful but tender South African plant. This relative of our irises has evergreen, slender, ribbon-like foliage, that is glossy green, and produces round, pale yellow iris flowers in spring and summer, with three large petals marked with small brown spots at the base. Easy to grow, it is unfortunately not very hardy but can be grown very well in pots, to be placed among other perennials during the summer; it will have a great effect there.

Dietes bicolor is a botanical species belonging to the family Iridaceae. Better known by its former botanical name of Moraea bicolor, it has recently been renamed due to the nature of its storage organ: Moraea grows from a bulb, like certain Irises, while Dietes forms rhizomes. This wild iris is therefore a rhizomatous perennial plant, capable of spreading in width. It establishes and flowers quickly, with the mature plant measuring about 80 cm (32in) in flower height, 60 cm (24in) for the foliage, and spreading over a diameter of 50 to 60 cm (20 to 24in). The Yellow Wild Iris forms a dense and flexible clump of evergreen foliage, slightly arched, linear and glossy green. In late spring and early summer (from June to August depending on the climate), thin stems appear, bearing open panicles of 3 to 6 flowers, 4 cm (2in) in diameter, composed of 6 petals. Their pale yellow colour is more or less spotted on the larger petals, with a small brown-violet spot at the base. They only live for a day or two, but they constantly renew themselves throughout the summer in damp soil. It is not uncommon to see the plant reflower in November and during particularly mild winters.

Dietes bicolor is a species resistant to drought, but much more comfortable in mild oceanic climates.  It requires a sunny position to flower, but toerates salt winds. A truly attractive plant in many ways, both lushious and light, its flowering is precious. It is magnificent in wild-inspired gardens, or even Asian-inspired gardens with its clean shapes.  It highlights the layout of a pathway and punctuates a bed or rockery with pretty pastel corollas. It pairs well with Sisyrinchium, Dierama, Liatris, agapanthus, or even Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'. This perennial will also be highly appreciated in containers, on the patio or balcony during the summer. In the garden, it often perishes from cold when there is excessive soil moisture.  It should ideally be planted in damp but well-drained soil, in a very sunny exposure.

It is on the Iberian Peninsula that the first Dietes bicolor were acclimated; that is why the plant is sometimes called Spanish Iris.