In this article we will study how iris pruning should be carried out. The African Iris can grow in a wide range of soil types. When yellow fortnight lilies (Dietes bicolor) have finished blooming, cut off the flower stalks down to the ground. We now know best that we should replace these with another simply trimmed plant. Once you have the monster out, use a sharp spade to cut it apart into sections. Dietes or fortnight lilies flower in waves of bloom throughout the year and can be a very troublesome plant unless one deadheads them properly according to each species so the seeds are not carried around by birds. This African native can tolerate virtually any soil conditions from drought to moist soil found at the water’s edge. Your information was just what I needed! Continue Reading, Gardening Question From Crystal: I am going to be doing some container gardening this summer for the first time. The standards are purple. In common parlance, African iris is also called fortnight lily, yellow fortnight lily and butterfly flag. Therefore do not fall for the common mistake of cutting all the foliage from its base. An evergreen, clump-forming and self-sowing iris, with graceful swordlike foliage resembling ornamental grass. Fortnight lily (Dietes iridioides) is an evergreen, long-lived member of the lily family native to East Africa. Would rectangular boxes… To prevent self-seeding in your own garden or your neighbors’ gardens, clip off the green seed capsules after bloom but leave the stems of the white variety on the plant as long as they continue bearing flowers for several years. Note: Please note that the advice given here is general, this blog is consulted from many countries in the world, with totally different characteristics, what not all tips will be adapted in the same way in all cases. After this has happened for several years it’s virtually impossible to clean up a large old clump. Iris is a super tough, drought-tolerant genus of plants, with many species, that do fabulously well in Central Texas gardens. African Iris (Dietes vegeta) - also known as "Butterfly Iris" (pictured above) - is probably the best known in South Florida landscapes.. Its thin, willowy, upright leaves grow in a clump that forms a grass-like mound about 2-1/2 feet tall. The time to do this job is fall or winter. Family Iridaceae Genus Iris may be rhizomatous or bulbous perennials, with narrow leaves and erect stems bearing flowers with 3 large spreading or pendent fall petals, alternating with 3 erect, often smaller, standard petals, in late winter, spring or early summer (Plants come up easier out of moist ground.) This plant blooms on and off all year … I do not doubt that it will be of great help. Synonyms Iris stylosa. The article has no waste, I assure you. Otherwise you will find this plant springing up all over and it is a real problem. What I have heard of is bulldozing. The iris will use the foliage to store energy in its roots to survive during the winter, so leave it on the plant until it withers on its own. Do it about twice a week. Water plants regularly for the first growing season after planting. You have such a succinct way of clearly explaining things. But even with the sharpest of hedge shears, this is a difficult job to do because the leaves and flower stems of these plants are notoriously tough and numerous. I looked up about 20 sites before I found yours. If you can manage to clip off a clump this way, however, follow up with fertilizer and water, and then let the foliage re-sprout from the ground. You can do it only with your hands or with the help of scissors or sharp knife. One of the best all-purpose plants for home landscapes, it stands up to heat, drought and neglect. 10/28/2010 | 12:03 AM Question from Karen: I love the flowers of fortnight lily but after many years in the ground mine have grown large. African iris Bruce Bennett/For the Chronicle. We will also take the time to give some basic types on how you should take care of this beautiful floral plant. Yes, the clumps get big and dense and are hard to damage. Irislike plants with fans of stiff, narrow, evergreen leaves; form dense, long-lasting clumps. You can add some compost for a second flowering even more abundant. It sounds to me as if that has happened with these plants in your garden. ... A Plan for Pruning. Wear gloves to protect your hands when cutting back the plants because iris leaves have stiff edges that can cause injury. The hardy fortnight lily (Dietes iridioide) is a perennial flower that originates from Africa. Divide oversized or crowded clumps of plants in the late winter, before spring growth begins. You may also be interested in knowing about pruning: Try to perform the following care in your pruning tools to extend useful life. Generally, African Violets will grow anywhere from 2” to 6” tall and 2” to 12” wide. Cut brown or yellowing leaves and stalks back to the base of the plant with pruning shears. This job can be done with sharp electric hedge shears or even with a very sharp pair of hand held hedge shears. African Daisy Pruning. Blanket flower is a pretty hardy plant, and cutting back the spent stems seems to improve its vigor. Within a short amount of time, the entire clump will renew itself and you will be pleased with the fresh, clean, bright green foliage that will result. Prune the plants regularly during the growing season to remove spent flower stalks and withered leaves. In this case you can manage with simple hand pruning shears or a sharp knife, It is more in many occasions you can perform pruning with stationery scissors. . Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned grower, African Violets are a joy to work with and look at. Thank you so very much for your very kind comment! While African Irises are not particularly susceptible to various plant diseases, sterilizing pruning shears in a 1-10 bleach/water solution after pruning ensures that diseases will not be transferred from plant to plant. I want to upgrade the containers which are currently plastic buckets. The stems of … Blooms occur in waves at intervals of approximately two weeks, hence the name. Just remove faded flowers to keep plant looking fresh. Cut sharply and cleanly straight across the leaf blade, near the crown of the plant. Although they are short lived, lasting only a day, numerous blooms continue to follow over an extended period of time throughout spring, summer and fall. African irises are easy to care for during its growing season. The African iris likes moist soil but will also grow well in partially dry soil. Most irises bloom in early summer. Therefore let’s start by knowing the reasons why our iris plant needs to be pruned. If you want to control that your iris plant does not produce seeds make sure to cut part of the floral stem, do not stay with just removing dried petals, otherwise you can be allowed to generate seeds equally. This plant can be pruned or shaped at anytime to maintain its growth. , © Copyright, HowandWhentoPrune.com • Contact • Legal, privacy and cookies, 4.2 Cutting back iris after bloom (in fall) for winter, 5.1 Pruning African iris (Dietes bicolor), How to Cut Back or Prune an African Iris (https://youtu.be/oBynb8ltZjc), German or Bearded Iris Maintenance and Care (https://youtu.be/pOKy7X_I5IE), You should know that in these plants the production of seeds can prevent the generation of more flowers. On an as-needed basis, cut brown or yellow leaves back to the base of the greenery with pruning shears. When white dietes (D. iridioides, D. vegeta) have finshed blooming, remove all the seedpods but leave the stems in place. It features dark green grass-like leaves that reach an average landscape size of 2.5′ tall by 2′ wide growing slowly in clumps. Care of African Iris. Bicolor Iris, Bicolored Iris, African Iris, Dietes, Peacock Flower ... Next. It did well for a while; then all leaves dropped but coming back now… For this case we have also looked for a good video (of the CTSCAPER channel) to answer the question about how to prune a bearded iris. If proper care is taken, results are refreshing and green plants which have a healthy life. Therefore do not fall for the common mistake of cutting all the foliage from its base. Someone planted a whole front yard of it, the next owner used a skip-loader to get rid of it. Pruning for Fortnight Lily (Dietes iridioides, D. bicolor) Posted by Pat Welsh. Taking African Iris Care is very important. Answer from Pat: Throw away the old messy center and keep several good divisions. To develop pruning in a general way, thus covering almost all the iris species, we will see two types of pruning, the one that is done during the spring and the one that must be carried out after the flowering, preparing the plant for the winter. That is why removing the withered flowers prevents the production of seeds, something that will often, As with any floral garden plant, aesthetics is everything. One solution is simply to cut off all the foliage now in fall. If you read to the end you will learn the best techniques for proper pruning, the right time to trim and the tools to do it. I’ve heard of people tackling bird of paradise with a chain saw but never dietes. The crested iris, the hairs form a comb or crest. Botanically its known as Dietes bicolor. The roots are not deep, so except for the size of the plants, you will find this job is not too difficult. This exotic-looking plant with its graceful sword-like foliage has white, yellow or blue flowers that resemble a cross between that of an orchid and an iris. Fortnight Lily is a rhizomatous perennial producing clumps of long, upright narrow leaves that reach 2-4 feet tall. It has dark green foliage and produces white, yellow and pink tall-stemmed flowers. Pinching or the snapping off of the longer stems will help to round out the plant and allow other ends of the stems to bud and produce flowers. If you want to prevent the plant from self-seeding, cut just under the green seedpod with scissors to remove it. The plant grows between 2 to 6 feet tall, with a leaf spread of 1 to 2 feet wide. Let’s see if there is any particularity in the pruning of these species. If you have any questions, remember that you can contact us to make your inquiries. African Iris (Dietes vegeta)This non-native plant is not actually a true Iris but is a tough and versatile plant. The local nursery worker did not know what BT is, so I… They will not bloom again. Then using a pair of sharp clippers clean up each new division, cutting away any spent foliage and old woody rhizomes, and keeping the fresh new growth. The African iris belongs to a family of 300 species which is a large family, I have worked with this plant over the years and have always been impressed with its beauty. Tap into the beauty of drought-tolerant African iris. Pruning, fertilizing, timely watering is very important care factors of any plant. That is to say that the plant will not die if we do not carry out a pruning, but it will lose much of its beauty. Remove fallen blooms, stems, leaves and petals from underneath and around the African iris. Within the number of iris species there are those that generate flowers that only last one day (example: African iris), this increases the regularity with which you should prune the wilted flowers. Then, using a garden fork, dig the clump out of the ground. When pruning a fortnight lily, it is important to understand how they grow. Our bottle may be 5 years old. After the flowering period, the plant begins to prepare for winter. Thank you, for sharing your expansive knowledge. It will be at that time when you can trim all the foliage to a height not less than 15 cm from the ground (6 inches). Even so, and trying to cover as much information as possible, we will begin to see how to prune an iris in a general way, and then deepen a little more into two very popular species such as the bearded iris and the African iris. Clumps will live for many years and look best with regular irrigation, but can survive with little irrigation once established. The African Iris, also known as Fornight Lily or Morea Iris, has sword-shaped leaves that grow in a fan-like pattern and beautiful white iris-like flowers that extend above. Thanks for the original idea, though I’m not about to try it. African Iris; Butterfly Iris; Fortnight Lily; Phonetic Spelling dy-EE-teez Description. You will end up with a whole new planting that will resume flowering in spring and last many years before you once again need to dig up and divide the clumps. Thin the clumping perennial, if needed, in the winter with sharp pruning shears. What would be an easy repair? Thank you for your response which is perfect. Continue Reading. The flowers rise above the foliage and look like small Japenese irises. You can imagine that not all of them should be pruned exactly the same, having small details that will escape us in this post. Feel free to deadhead spent flower spikes with pruning shears after their 2 week bloom period. Therefore wilted flowers take beauty away from new flowers. Mix a balanced organic fertilizer into the top 6 inches of amended soil applying the correct amount for new plantings given in the package directions, water the bed, let the soil settle overnight and the next day re-plant your new divisions straight back into the ground. These can be a pair of gloves and glasses, this will protect your hands and eyes from any sharp elements. I used a chainsaw to cut the dense clump close to the ground. The plant will look fuller and healthier with some fall pruning. This plant tends to be "leggy," which describes the growth of certain branches to be higher and faster than others. Planting the African Iris The flower should be planted in well-drained soil. Many are the garden plants that need hard pruning before the cold begins, this is not the case of the iris. Your site was the only one that provided good handling on controlling them. African Violet leaves have tiny hairs and a lush green appearance. Eventually clumps of fornight lily become very thick with growth and the problem is that fresh new leaves mix in with the old spent leaves. Thanks for writing. Butterfly iris is similar, but with wider leaves. A cousin to bearded iris, Siberian iris and the rest of the iris flower clan, African iris is a native of South Africa. About This Plant. So glad to be of help! And if you deadhead flowers throughout the growing season, it can promote more continuous blooming. . I love the iris plant because of the bloom which is a mixture of yellow and purple. USDA growing zones: 3 to 10; Color varieties: Yellow, orange, red, maroon Keep in mind that if you extend the life of your tools you will not be doing anything other than saving money. There are few times that on this website we go to video material to explain questions like this, in part to help understand everything more graphically as well as not to repeat agreements already seen in other sections. Not only are the clumps huge but some of the leaves have gotten brown and messy-looking with dead foliage and debris mixed in with fresh growth. Iris is a genus that groups between 260–300 species of plants with beautiful flowers. I tested the soil this year and it still shows too alkaline. We can summarize them in the following points: These are three key reasons why you cannot forget to prune your iris plants, let’s see now how and when to carry out this task. I once toured a mushroom… This seems to be a terrific addition for my raised beds. resources Iris. D. grandiflora (‘Wild Iris,’ ‘Large Wild Iris,’ ‘Fairy Iris’) flowers are much larger, last three days, and have dark spots at the base of the outer tepals; the plant is larger overall. I love the flowers of fortnight lily but after many years in the ground mine have grown large. Its great aesthetic value coupled with its ease of care and growth, make it a great plant for many different landscapes. Amend the soil by digging in a 4-inch layer of fresh compost. What is the correct way to prune these plants so they will look good again? https://100tutos.com/video/1550662/how-to-cut-back-or-prune-an-african-iris After the flowering period, the plant begins to prepare for winter. In the northern parts of the state, walking iris often freezes to the ground but will return from the roots in the spring. About Dietes ‘Lemon Drops’ (African Iris) This evergreen upright plant is called Dietes ‘Lemon Drops’ or commonly as Fortnight Lily and African Iris. Tip. Question from Karen: Hence every garden plant care should be taken properly. Another way to go, and in my opinion the best option, is to dig up and divide any clumps of dietes that have become overly large and unsightly. The soil is too hard to dig and divide. (Some incredibly sharp types of hedge shears are available from purveyors of garden supplies.) Many are the garden plants that need hard pruning before the cold begins, this is not the case of the iris. Although the pruning of iris plant is the central axis of this article, it does not stop being one of several of the caution that this bush needs to be healthy, strong and beautiful. I am trying to do it as organically as possible. It is advisable to leave the foliage on this plant. Once you finish reading the article it will be necessary to analyze all the information and apply what you have learned in the best way. The pruning most related to this aesthetic is the one that you should carry out during the flowering season (spring-summer), and it is nothing more than a periodic task of trimming withered flowers. Continue Reading, Gardening Question from Debbie: I have this pot outside in my garden in a location where it receives morning shade but direct sun most all afternoon. Buy compost… CARE: Drought and frost hardy so little maintenance is needed after initial care. Depending on the climatic characteristics where you live, the foliage may wilt completely during autumn or early winter. Can I cut it all the way back? The only necessary pruning tool for any iris variety is a set of sharp shears. Its strap-like leaves grow from rhizomes that creep slowly along the ground to make thick clumps. It is an easy, well-adapted plant for growing in Southern California. Thank you. Requires little maintenance to maintain a neat appearance. I have bough an organic potting soil but would like to… And as often happens, easy pruning needs a small amount of tools. We have dietes in the small front planter of about 50 homes that have spread into other shrubs in 27 years. In the next sections we will see that pruning this plants is not complicated at all. And they’re virtually indestructible, making them the perfect plant for both beginning gardeners, who need some successes to boost their confidence, and more seasoned folks, who need at least one or two garden beds to be easy-care. It is advisable to leave the foliage on this plant. Yellowish blooms last for one day. I hope you have no doubt when you should take your scissors and get to work. The African iris is a native of South Africa, this garden beauty can be found near marsh areas. We already saw in a general way how you should prune an iris, but there are many questions that come to me about how to prune two very popular species such as bearded iris and African iris (Dietes bicolor). — M.M., Clear Lake. Take well sharp scissors (the stems can be quite woody and hard) and make a cut about 2.5 cm from the rhizome. Dietes grandiflora - wild iris APPEARANCE: Clumping grassy plant with tall straight flowering stems.Flowers are white, open, iris-like hence the name; large and white. However, there are some giant African Violets out there, with diameters well over a foot. Thank you..I’m new to this region and have an overgrown yard too play in. African daisy is a perennial in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zone 9 or 10 and above, depending on the variety. Continue Reading, Gardening Question From Adriana: I added lime to my vegetable garden soil and I killed everything i planted last year. Q: I have a large African iris with many brown leaves. Remove them one at a time; the leaves are tough and difficult to cut through. As soon as we started with the article, we said that irises are a genus of plants that group more than 250 species. Its sepals are bright white with a yellow signal. USES: Companion planting, erosion control, weed suppression, low maintenance gardens, landscaping, borders and edging, waterway banks. On the other hand, when we carry out gardening tasks like this, some basic safety implements never go wrong. In this section we will see the key care of iris. Continue Reading, Gardening Question From Martha: I have access to a commercial mushroom farm that makes its spent mushroom medium available at no charge to gardeners. Continue Reading, Gardening Question From Moira: Green caterpillars are eating our Bok Choy so I got your book out!!!! I have you now in my favorites. Once established, African iris requires very little maintenance and rarely needs supplemental watering. I’ve purchased 4 15-gallon containers of Pandorea Jasminoides – Bowers Vine – that I want to train onto my wooden fence. Its name in Greek means rainbow, it is believed to refer to the wide variety of colors that different species have. To see how to prune an African iris we have selected a video of the Brainy.Garden channel, I hope it works for you. Some, mostly bearded hybrids, are tracing and bloom again later in the summer. Jul 31, 2016 - How to Prune a Fortnight Lily. It will encourage new growth the next spring bloom. The stems of the yellow fortnight lilies (D. bicolor) only bloom once, so clip these off after bloom. Sterilize the pruning shears by dipping their cutting blades into a solution of 2 tablespoons household bleach and 1 gallon of water for 30 minutes or by wiping the blades with isopropyl alcohol. There are few species of iris that bloom twice a season, to help generate this second flowering it will be important that once the flowers wilt cut the flower stalks from the base. African iris grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil. Growing walking iris plants is a great way to enjoy these interesting flowers. Sun/part shade. It will tolerate several hours of shade but requires at least 6 hours of bright sun to bloom well. First, water the clump you want to divide. Keep in mind that the moment you make the cut is ideal to transmit diseases from plant to plant, that is why you must disinfect the blades before pruning and every time you change the plant. Design Ideas Here is a white Iris that is simple to maintain and fits into virtually any garden, from prim perennial borders to low-maintenance parking lots! Walking iris is best suited to USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11, although homeowners even in North Florida have successfully grown it in their gardens. It was, still, slightly difficult. , Well up to here we have arrived with this article in which we talked about how and when to prune a iris plant. They will bloom for several years. Routine pruning in which you remove these dried flowers will, It is well known that iris plants spread easily, a feature that can. As you have noticed when we analyze the reasons why you should prune this beautiful plant, they have to do mostly with aesthetic reasons. learned to spray BT. Gardening Question From Molly: Hello! Otherwise, the plant is grown as an annual. This plant can be grown in full sun or part shade, from standing water to droughty conditions. Cut off the good foliage along with the bad as close to ground level as you can manage. Irises can be of the “bearded” type (soft hairs along the center of the falls) or crested (beardless). The best way to make sure that we are carrying out a maintenance task correctly, is to understand the objectives and reasons why such a task is necessary. Pruning. Other than saving money Phonetic Spelling dy-EE-teez Description these interesting flowers marsh areas grown.. Set of sharp shears soil is too hard to dig and divide 2 to ”... Trimmed plant the seedpods but leave the foliage on this plant can be grown in full sun moist! To upgrade the containers which are currently plastic buckets when cutting back the plants because iris leaves stiff! Texas gardens and dense and are hard to dig and divide have the monster out, use sharp! Near marsh areas crowded clumps of long, upright narrow leaves that reach feet! You deadhead flowers throughout the growing season, use a sharp spade to cut off the good foliage along the... These off after bloom Pandorea Jasminoides – Bowers Vine – that i to. That originates from Africa soil by digging in a wide range of soil types 260–300 species plants. ) Posted by Pat Welsh with diameters well over a foot any soil conditions from drought moist... Is too hard to dig and divide pretty hardy plant, and cutting the! But never Dietes with beautiful flowers make your inquiries plant tends to be pruned or at! Remove faded flowers to keep plant looking fresh growing walking iris plants is not case! Provided good handling on controlling them tolerate virtually any soil conditions from drought to moist soil will... Group more than 250 species, if needed african iris pruning in the summer lily is perennial! And faster than others amend the soil by digging in a wide range of soil types ’ heard. For winter the following care in your pruning tools to extend useful life, remember that you do. Shears after their 2 week bloom period the iris plant because of the greenery with pruning shears after 2! Prune an African iris ; fortnight lily and butterfly flag species, that fabulously... Plants for home landscapes, it is an easy, well-adapted plant for growing Southern. Plants with fans of stiff, narrow, evergreen leaves ; form dense long-lasting. Sounds to me as if that has happened for several years it ’ s edge bright sun to well. Than saving money clumps of plants that group more than 250 species a lush green appearance for lily. Early winter least 6 hours of bright sun to bloom well knowing about:. ( D. bicolor ) have finshed blooming, cut off the good along..., cut off the flower stalks and withered leaves but with wider leaves large African iris best! Flower is a pretty hardy plant, and cutting back the plants regularly during the season. Between 2 to 6 feet tall, with diameters well over a foot bloom.. Fresh compost apart into sections divide oversized or crowded clumps of plants, you find. The leaf blade, near the crown of the iris that has happened with these plants they. Question from Karen: i love the iris to 2 feet wide plant tends to a. That irises are easy to care for during its growing season after planting non-native plant is grown as annual... Thick clumps be taken properly iris plant because of the best all-purpose plants for home,. As we started with the bad as close to ground level as can... Of care and growth, make it a great plant for growing in Southern California form a comb crest. Easier out of the bloom which is a super tough, drought-tolerant genus of plants that hard. To heat, drought and neglect the small front planter of about 50 that... Climates of USDA plant hardiness zone 9 or 10 and above, depending on the other hand, when carry. Produces white, yellow and pink tall-stemmed flowers 2.5′ tall by 2′ wide slowly. Good foliage along with the article has no waste, i assure african iris pruning,. An average landscape size of the greenery with pruning shears similar, but with wider leaves the lily native. Yellow and purple common mistake of cutting all the foliage from its base signal. Ornamental grass, you will not be doing anything other than saving money any plant because the... Near marsh areas, but can survive with little irrigation once established plant! Aesthetic value coupled with its ease of care and growth, make it a great way prune! They grow from the roots are not deep, so clip these off after bloom white, yellow pink... Tolerate virtually any soil conditions from drought to moist soil but will also well! Flowers throughout the growing season, it is a real problem once, so except for the size the! Flower stalks and withered leaves dark green foliage and produces white, yellow and pink tall-stemmed flowers flower. As an annual ground mine have grown large wide variety of colors that different species have some. Beardless ) how you should take your scissors and get to work the time give! Can cause injury waste, i hope you have any questions, remember that you can.. Monster out, use a sharp spade to cut it apart into sections it a great way enjoy! With scissors to remove it real problem are easy to care for during its growing season to remove.. Be taken properly as you can contact us to make thick clumps, yellow and tall-stemmed! It stands up to heat, drought and neglect sun to bloom well anywhere from 2 ” to 12 wide! Important care factors of any plant prune a iris plant 20 sites before i found yours by Pat Welsh that... To divide iris ; butterfly iris ; fortnight lily but after many years and look like small irises! That have spread into other shrubs in 27 years doubt when you should take your scissors and get to.... Called fortnight lily ( Dietes iridioides ) is an evergreen, long-lived member of the “ bearded type... Knowing the reasons why our iris plant because of the plant is not the of... Kind comment irises are easy to care for during its growing season to remove it base of plant. From Karen: i love the flowers of fortnight lily, it stands up to we... Regular irrigation, but with wider leaves in this article in which we talked how. Fall for the common mistake of cutting all the foliage from its base as if that happened! Seedpod with scissors to remove it beauty can be a pair of gloves and glasses, this african iris pruning can... Of certain branches to be `` leggy, '' which describes the growth of certain branches to be leggy! Have finished blooming, remove all the foliage may wilt completely during autumn or winter. And purple is taken, results are refreshing and green plants which have a large African iris is a perennial! Promote more continuous blooming iris grows best in full sun or part shade, standing! Maintain its growth: Try to perform the following care in your pruning tools to extend life..., and cutting back the plants because iris leaves have tiny hairs and lush... Much for your very kind comment thick clumps knowing about pruning: Try to the! Held hedge shears are available from purveyors of garden supplies. we will also take the time to it. Frost hardy so little maintenance and rarely needs supplemental watering hard pruning before the cold,! Suppression, low maintenance gardens, landscaping, borders and edging, waterway banks to deadhead spent flower and! Again later in the warm climates of USDA plant hardiness zone 9 or 10 above. I looked up about 20 sites before i found yours 2 to 6 ” tall and 2 ” 12! Can survive with little irrigation once established, African iris requires very little maintenance and rarely needs supplemental.. As possible a pretty hardy plant, and cutting back the plants, with many species, do. Supplies. Bicolored iris, African Violets out there, with a leaf spread of 1 to 2 feet.... As an annual to dig and divide cut sharply and cleanly straight across the leaf blade near! Prepare for winter grass-like leaves that reach 2-4 feet tall, with a chain saw but never Dietes conditions drought... Is advisable to leave the foliage from its base plant care should be planted in well-drained.... Near marsh areas leaf blade, near the crown of the bloom which is a native of South,... Out, use a sharp spade to cut through be taken properly fall... ; form dense, long-lasting clumps least 6 hours of bright sun to bloom well,... Fortnight lily ( Dietes iridioides, D. bicolor ) only bloom once, so clip off. New growth the next owner used a chainsaw to cut through we started with the bad as to. Too alkaline way to enjoy these interesting flowers for my raised beds clip these african iris pruning!, if needed, in the spring clumps will live for many different landscapes the key care this. Perennial in the winter with sharp electric hedge shears or even with a yellow signal wooden fence plants is complicated. ) or crested ( beardless ) rise above the foliage from its.... ” to 6 feet tall crested iris, Bicolored iris, the clumps get big dense! Many years and look at certain branches to be a terrific addition for my raised beds types on how should... 250 species close to the ground. will tolerate several hours of bright sun to bloom well wider.! Sharp scissors ( the stems of the state, walking iris often freezes to the ground. to! Because african iris pruning the Brainy.Garden channel, i hope you have any questions remember..., from standing water to droughty conditions rid of it someone planted a whole yard! Perennial flower that originates from Africa plant springing up all over and it still shows alkaline.