Trimezia is a genus of about 20 species from the warmer parts of Central and South America and the West Indies in the Iridaceae family. Plants are evergreen or seasonal perennials that grow from either an erect rhizome or a corm and have iris-like fans of leaves and short lived flowers not unlike Cypella with three larger outer segments and three small inner ones. Most are yellow, spotted and banded with brown or purple in the center. Most are summer growers with a rest period in winter. Another related genus sometimes included in this genus is Neomarica. Species probably need the protection of a greenhouse in winter and should not be allowed to dry out completely during this time. The two species pictured below are widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics.
Trimezia martinicensis is a species from the West Indies with yellow to golden flowers that are marked bronze at the base. Individual flowers are very short lived (part of a day), but blooming continues over a long period. Photos by Mary Sue Ittner. The first is of the plant showing the open flower. And then photos of the flower from the top and the side.
Trimezia steyermarkii was identified by Alberto Castillo as the plant blooming for Lee Poulsen in September 2003 in a pot without a label. Alberto states it is a well known Caribbean plant widely used in landscaping in the New World tropics.
