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Iris, Butterfly
Dietes Vegeta
Dietes iridoides
Butterfly Iris (Dietes iridioides), formerly listed botanically as Moraea iridioides, is an evergreen, clump-forming perennial native to southern Africa. In Central Texas it functions as a durable, structural landscape plant rather than a true iris, valued for its arching, sword-like foliage and repeated flushes of flowers. Even when not in bloom, the foliage provides year-round texture and form in the landscape.
In the Texas landscape, Butterfly Iris is adaptable and dependable across much of Central and South Texas. It tolerates heat, humidity, and alkaline soils, making it well suited to many common landscape conditions. While it prefers well-drained soil, it is more tolerant of occasional poor drainage than many perennials once established, though it should not be planted in areas with persistent standing water. Full sun promotes the best flowering, but it performs very well in part sun, especially where some afternoon shade reduces summer stress.
Mature plants typically reach 3 to 4 feet tall and about 3 to 4 feet wide, forming broad, graceful clumps over time. When planted together, spacing of about 3 feet apart allows plants to fill in naturally without overcrowding. White flowers with subtle yellow and blue markings appear intermittently from spring through fall, with individual blooms lasting only a day but produced frequently. Butterfly Iris works well in mass plantings, along walkways, as a low screen, or as a vertical accent in mixed borders.
Butterfly Iris is considered non-toxic above ground, but the rhizomes and roots are toxic if ingested, potentially causing gastrointestinal upset in pets. It is generally deer-tolerant and low-maintenance, requiring only the removal of old foliage and spent flower stalks. During hard freezes, foliage may burn back, but plants reliably recover from the base in spring without special winter protection.
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Perennial Color |
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Perennial Borders |
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Containers |
Flower Color:White & Purple
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Height:3-4 feet
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Spread:3-4 feet
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Spacing:3 ft
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USDA Hardiness Zone 8a
Characteristics & Attributes
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Deer Tolerance
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Exposure
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Full Sun |
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Full Sun to Part Shade |
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Habit
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Semi Evergreen |
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Perennial |
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Soil pH Preference
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Water Needs
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Tolerates Poor Drainage
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Toxic to Pets
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