Dietes bicolor

 African iris or Fortnight lily

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Type: Groundcover, 1m.
Form: Clumping and stemless, with strap-like leaves, flowers on elongated branched stems.
Flowers: Lemon yellow irises with three dark brown spots, from October to January.
Why plant it? It may be a fairly commonplace plant but this wild iris is a must in almost any indigenous garden! Its delicate flowers are beautiful and long-lasting and produce a striking display en masse. The most obvious use of this plant is as a border groundcover but it would also look great mass planted in light shade under trees, although for the best flowering results place it in a moist, sunny position (unlike the even more common Dietes grandiflora which enjoys a bit more shade). The Yellow Wild Iris also looks beautiful placed next to water, planted with sedges and grasses. Found naturally alongside streams and in vleis.