Fortnight Lily Podcast

Today on DHS Wikispaces potcast I will introduce to you the Dietes Vegeta, commonly know as Fortnight Lily or African Iris. This plant originated from Africa but has spread to southern and western parts of the United States. A monocot that is moderately resistant to drought, the Fortnight Lily has thrived in the California regions. There are many species of Dietes that are present today in Davis. The Fortnight Lily can be found throughout the DHS campus but also a species that closely resemble the Fortnight Lily called the Dietes Bicolor can be found right in front of the Yolo Library. It just goes to show you how well adapted these plants are to their environments and how well they thrive here in California. These plants require little maintenance becoming a popular plant to grow for decorations on landscapes.

I love to see these beautiful flowers as I walk through the DHS campus. They are usually planted under the trees or besides buildings. Even though the flowers last only for a few days they burst out at different times ranging from spring to late summer. The whole plant itself looks alien but it has its own sense of beauty. Imagine that a tree is standing alone and now imagine a tree with Fortnight Lily’s below it. It creates a sense of wholeness. The Fortnight Lily has become a favorite and I am sure that I will plant these in front of my house someday.

I would like you to visualize a tour of the Fortnight Lily during flowering season. The first thing that will catch your eyes is the bright color of the flowers. The Flower stalks seem to be popping out of the ground with different structures then the leaves. It is bamboo like in that they are segmented. The whole plant is about 2-3 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide. The blades of the leaves are like curved swords that radiate from the center. If you look closely at the leaves you will see the parallel veins that run from the tips of the leaves to the tips of the roots. The roots are not visible because the roots are under the surface. That is all for today.

Thank you for taking a tour of the Fortnight Lily on today’s podcast on DHS Wikispaces.