General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Herb/Forb
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Partial or Dappled Shade
Minimum cold hardiness: Zone 8a -12.2 °C (10 °F) to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
Plant Height: 24-36 inches
Plant Spread: 36-48 inches
Leaves: Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Flowers: Showy
Fragrant
Flower Color: Bi-Color: White and blue
Flower Time: Late winter or early spring
Spring
Underground structures: Rhizome
Uses: Erosion control
Groundcover
Will Naturalize
Resistances: Humidity tolerant
Propagation: Other methods: Division
Stolons and runners
Offsets
Containers: Suitable in 1 gallon
Suitable in 3 gallon or larger

Image
Common names
  • Walking Iris
  • Apostle Plant
Botanical names
  • Accepted: Trimezia gracilis
  • Synonym: Neomarica gracilis
  • Synonym: Cypella gracilis

Photo Gallery
Photo by grannysgarden
Location: Indiana  Zone 5
Date: December
A houseplant in my zone 5a
Location: La Plata. Argentina
Date: 2019-10-26
Location: Tampa Bay, Florida
Location: Botanical Gardens of the State of Georgia...Athens, Ga
Date: 2019-03-22
Walking Iris - Neomarica gracilis 022
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2024-03-11
Photo by grannysgarden
Location: My garden
Date: 2020-04-21
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2008-04-23
Location: In my Northern California garden
Date: 2005-07-13
Location: Savannah, Georgia, USA
Date: 2013-05-17
Location: La Plata, Argentina
Date: 2013-10-29
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2023-10-28
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2023-10-28

Date: 2017-04-22
Location: San Clemente
Date: 2020-05-07
Location: Sebastian,  Florida
Date: 2024-03-24
Location: Middletown, DE
Date: 2016-06-08
Location: British Columbia
Date: April 2013
Apostle Iris, Walking Iris
Location: In my Northern California garden
Date: 2005-07-13
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Walking iris or Apostle plant Iridaceae Native to Central America Oʻahu (Cultivated)
Date: 2010-12-24
Photo courtesy of: David Eickhoff
Location: My garden - back fence 
Date: 2020-04-27
Location: Enterprise, Al. 36330
Date: 2015-03-28
Purchased at the Festival of Flowers in Mobile, Al. 03-27-15
Location: My garden
Date: 2019-05-07
Location: my garden 
Date: 2015-07-28
Photo by animallover94
Photo by animallover94
Location: my garden 
Date: 2015-05-02
Location: my garden 
Date: 2013-04-16
Photo by animallover94
Location: My garden
Date: 2020-04-27
Location: In my garden in Kalama, Wa.
Date: 2006-09-28
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Fountain, Florida
Date: 2011-10-30
Location: indoors Toronto, Ontario
Date: 2022-02-15
Walking Iris (Neomarica gracilis) flower stem forming.
Location: pots - seedlings - 2 yrs
Date: 2015-05-06
Location: my garden 
Date: 2015-05-02
Location: my garden 
Date: 2013-04-16
Location: my garden 
Date: 2013-04-16
Location: San Clemente
Date: 2020-05-07
Location: San Clemente
Date: 2020-05-07
Comments:
  • Posted by gingin (Fountain, Florida - Zone 8b) on Dec 6, 2011 3:54 PM concerning plant:
    When this is planted in the ground, it will send out runners with a bloom on the end. Once the bloom is spent, a new plant forms and roots where it touches the ground. Hence the name "walking iris." The new plant can also be cut off the runner and planted wherever you want another one to grow.
  • Posted by piksihk (Texas - Zone 9a) on Apr 16, 2013 12:11 PM concerning plant:
    The blue and brown against the white is so lovely.
  • Posted by Ispahan (Chicago - Zone 6a) on Nov 6, 2011 11:04 AM concerning plant:
    A fabulously easy houseplant for those of us in colder zones. Never fails to produce a fountain of iris-like blooms in late winter/early spring. Although each bloom only lasts a day, each cluster will produce a succession of buds for many weeks. The flowers have a light but glorious scent of peonies that wafts for a few feet in sunlight. Be aware that this plant is somewhat sensitive to fluoride and other salts in water, causing brown leaf tips. This does not harm the plant but can sometimes look unsightly. If this bothers you, then be sure to water with distilled water.
Plant Events from our members
gardengus On July 12, 2015 Bloomed
seems out of season
piksihk On April 26, 2020 Bloomed
piksihk On May 21, 2019 Bloomed
piksihk On August 1, 2018 Cuttings took
3 offsets rooting in water
piksihk On May 2, 2016 Bloomed
round pot; several seedlings rooted;
piksihk On April 27, 2015 Bloomed
these are seedlings - 2 yrs - pots
aspenhill On May 31, 2014 Obtained plant
DG Ric and Holly (HollyAnnS) - qty 1
Seedfork On March 27, 2015 Obtained plant
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