Moraea fugax aka Moraea Fugax

Moraea fugax, or peacock iris, belongs to the iris family. It comes from western and southwestern Cape Province in South Africa. This subtropical plant grows on plains and mountain slopes. Its wild sites include deep sand and rocky ground. It also grows in soils formed from sandstone and granite. People grow it for flowers and gather it for food.

This perennial grows from a corm below the ground. It makes fresh growth each year and has an upright form. Shoots reach about 1.5 feet [0.45 metres] tall. One reference lists its height as 1.6 feet [0.5 metres]. The corm persists from year to year beneath the soil. Growers should plant corms about 0.4 feet [0.12 metres] deep. They must keep them dry while the plant rests.

The flowers can be yellow or purple. Each bloom lasts about six hours, then fades. More flowers follow, so flowering lasts longer than one bloom. Chicago Botanic Garden lists flowering from May through August. This timing reflects that garden's record rather than every growing region. Insects pollinate the flowers. Their short life gives the plant its species name, fugax. Gardeners grow it as an ornamental despite each bloom's brief life.

Choose a sunny spot with light, gritty soil. Water must drain freely from the root zone. Chicago Botanic Garden also lists partial shade as suitable. Its record calls for moist soil during growth. This differs from the dry conditions needed during rest. The plant has limited cold tolerance despite its underground corm. Useful Tropical Plants reports brief survival at temperatures near 23°F [-5°C]. Sow ripe seed in a warm greenhouse. Keep seedlings in their first pot for one year. Then pot up the small corms and grow them under glass for two more years. Growers can also divide offsets while the plant rests.

People cook the underground corms for food. One source calls these edible parts bulbs rather than corms. It compares their taste with potatoes or sweet chestnuts. The same source reports no known hazards. That statement does not establish safety for pets or all uses. It lists no known medicinal uses. The supplied sources give no species-specific pest or disease details.