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Walking Iris (Neomarica gracilis): The Apostle Plant That Propagates from Leaf Tips

A gardener in Louisiana had a plant at the base of an oak tree: long leaves branch out, end turns into a beautiful lil flower, leaf then turns into another plant. They wondered if it was a wild orchid and if it could be a houseplant.

Flower

Expert Identification

The plant is Neomarica gracilis, also called walking iris or apostle plant. It looks and smells like an orchid but isn't. The expert keeps several as houseplants. Baby plants can be cut off and replanted.

Identifying Unknown Plants: Phalaenopsis Orchid Buds Turning Yellow: Causes and Fixes; Encouraging Blooms on a Mature Phalaenopsis Orchid; Potting a Phalaenopsis Keiki Without Roots: Humidity Chamber Method; Mealybugs on Orchids: Identification, Treatment & Root Rot Prevention; Orchid Keikis: What They Are, When to Remove & How to Pot Successfully; Wild Orchid Identification: Need Column & Leaf Close-Ups; Inducing Rebloom in Phalaenopsis or Dendrobium: Light, Fertilizer, and Temperature; Identifying a Purple/Red Cone-Shaped Flower with Herbal Scent; Mystery Plant in Flower Garden: Could It Be a Watermelon?; Gloriosa Lily (Climbing Lily) in Miami Garden

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