Butterfly Flag is a South African iris relative that brings delicate, short-lived blooms to frost-free gardens from May through September. This rhizomatous evergreen perennial produces fan-shaped clumps of narrow, sword-like leaves and flowers that measure about 2 inches wide, featuring light yellow tepals dramatically marked with dark brown blotches. Hardy in zones 9-11, it reaches 18-24 inches tall and spreads 9-12 inches wide, thriving in full sun to partial shade with moderate water needs and minimal maintenance.
Partial Sun
Moderate
9-11
24in H x 12in W
—
High
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Each flower lasts just a single day, but the plant produces them in quick succession throughout the warm months, creating an extended show from spring through fall. The striking two-tone blooms, pale yellow petaled with deep brown markings, appear on branched stalks above graceful, iris-like foliage. In frost-free climates, you'll get near-constant flowering; even in cooler zones where you treat it as an annual or overwinter the rhizomes indoors, the abundance of blooms makes the effort worthwhile.
Butterfly Flag functions as an ornamental flowering plant, valued for its extended bloom season and dramatic flower markings. In frost-free regions (zones 9-11), it serves as a year-round accent in borders and containers. In colder climates, gardeners can grow it as an annual or dig up the rhizomes before the first frost, store them indoors over winter, and replant in spring, effectively extending the growing season.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Transplant rhizomes outdoors after soil has warmed in spring, spacing them to eventually form 9-12 inch wide clumps. In zones 9-11, plant in fall or spring for year-round establishment.
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“Dietes bicolor comes from South Africa, where it evolved as an evergreen perennial adapted to seasonal moisture patterns. The plant belongs to the iris family but diverged from its bearded cousins, developing a distinctly different form and flowering character. Its journey to gardeners worldwide reflects the long tradition of African plants enriching temperate gardens, particularly those seeking low-maintenance ornamentals that perform reliably in warm climates.”