Ask The Expert: Somebody gave me this plant around 4 or five years ago. I planted it getting sun from the East. This spring for the first time I noticed this beautiful flower (photo attached) and now I would love to know what is it; an Iris, Lily? If so what is the name? Thanks for your help!
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: What you have there is a Dietes iridioides, often called fortnight lily, African iris, or Morea iris. Although it’s called lily, it actually is in the Iridaceae or iris family. The flowers this plant produces are absolutely stunning, however, they usually only last one day. The fortnight lily will produce many flowers from spring to late summer, in groups with a fortnight (two weeks) between the next flowering. Fortnight lilies seem to do best in the light dappled shade of tall, open trees. The flowering stems of fortnight lily are perennial, so don’t cut them back after flowering as you might for most other iris like plants.
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