Gladiolus: How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Gladiolus | The Old Farmer's Almanac How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Gladiolus Share: Rate this Article: Average: 4 (297 votes) Gladiolus is a perennial favored for its beautiful, showy flowers. Its flowers grow on tall spikes and are often found in cutting gardens or in the back along the border (because they are tall). Gladioli have many different colored flowers, and grow between 2 to 6 feet in height. It’s good for cut flowers. Planting Plant gladiolus bulbs in the spring once danger of frost has passed and the soil has warmed. Ready your garden by using a garden fork or tiller and loosen the soil to about 12 to 15 inches deep. After loosening the soil, mix in a 2– to 4–inch layer of compost. Set the corm in the hole about 4 inches deep with the pointed end facing up. Cover with soil and press firmly. Space the corms 3 to 6 inches apart. Water the corms thoroughly. Gladioli like well-drained, light soil and full sun.

If you’re planting tall varieties, be sure to stake them at planting time. Be careful not to damage the corms with the stakes. It takes about 90 days from the time gladioli are planted to root, grow, bloom, and store enough energy for the next season. Care Put a 2– to 4–inch layer of mulch around your gladioli to keep your soil moist and help prevent weeds. If you get less than 1 inch of rain a week, water your plants regularly throughout the summer. Otherwise, water them moderately when in growth to keep the soil moist. Remove the faded/dead flowers to ensure continuous growth. Once all the flowers on a stalk have gone, cut off the stalk. Be sure to leave the plant intact so it can mature and rejuvenate the corms for the next season. If you live in zones 7 or 8, put down a layer of hay or straw for winter protection. Corms should be dug before the first frost if you live in zone 7 or ones colder. See instructions below. Pests/Diseases Harvest/Storage Before the first frost, you can dig up glads to store over the winter.

Use a space and dig up cothe entire plant, grasping the top to pull it out of the soil. Avoid bruising or injuring corms while digging. Shake off all loose soil and discard damaged corms. Cut the stalk within 1 inch above the corm. Save the small cormels separately if you so desire. Allow the corms to dry in the Sun for 1 or 2 days if the weather agrees. Sift out excess soil and place corms in wooden flats or trays. Cure ina warm and airy location for 2 weeks (at a temperature of 80-85°F). Remove and throw away the oldest bottom corms (from the base of the new one). Dust freshly dug, clean corms with a fungicide (“bulb dust”) to avoid disease problems. Place dust and bulbs or other structures in a paper sack and shake vigorously. Store the large, new corms in paper boxes, open paper bags, cloth bags, wooden trays with screen bottoms, or old onion sacks. Stack or hang the containers so air can move among them. Store the corms at 35 to 45°F in low humidity.

A cool basement is quite suitable. Do not allow corms to freeze. Learn more tips for storing gladiolus through the cold winter. Recommended Varieties Candyman, for its beautiful deep pink flowers Dream’s End, which makes a good back border plant because its flower spike is up to 3 feet long (and it has pretty light orange flowers with large yellow centers) Prins Claus, which has white flowers with splashes of pink on its petals What is another word for gladiolus? What is another word for gladiolus? No words found. Gladioli Flower Meaning - Unlock The Secret: Auntyflo.com Home › Flower Dictionary › Gladioli Name: Gladioli Color: Various colors are characteristic of the gladioli. Pink flowers, red flowers and white flowers are very common. There are also gladioli with contrast markings. For example, white flowers have cream or orange steaks on it. Shape: Because the gladiolus flowers are connected to a tube like stem, the flowers usually have the shape of a funnel. Fact: The gladiolus takes its name from the word gladius. It’s Latin meaning sword.

This mainly refers to the shape of the leaves of the gladiolus. Poisonous: Yes. The most dangerous part of the gladiolus is the bulb. If handled in the wrong way and sap gets on your skin, it can cause skin irritation. Number of Petals: A gladiolus flower has three petals although the petals look very similar to the sepals, it can be a bit difficult to count them out. This is why others can say that the gladiolus has five tepals. Victorian Interpretation: Because the leaves of this plant look like a sword, it was given the name gladiolus. And since swords are one of the weapons of choice of most gladiators, the gladiolus is also known as the flower of the gladiators. But if you go deeper into the message that the gladioli conveys, it also means sincerity. Another meaning is “give me a break”. Blossom Time: Gladiolus plants produce flowers easily and so you can have a nice garden of gladioli as long as the weather is cool and dry. However, the most conducive season for this plant to bloom is autumn.

Superstitions: The superstitions that relate to the gladiolus plant have more to do with its medicinal properties. It is said that if the roots of the gladiolus are mashed and applied to areas of the skin where splinters or thorns have gone in, it’s going to draw these foreign objects out. And mixing the dried gladiolus seed pods with goat’s milk was believed to be a remedy for colic. What the Gladiolus Means: As a plant with leaves that look very much like swords, it has long been referred to as the flower of the gladiators. Probably because of the sword shaped leaves, it can also mean severed ties. And if you want to a subtle way to convey someone the words “give me a break”, the gladiola is the best flower to give. It means sincerity too in other circles. Just like with many different flowers, the gladioli also has meaning on love. Love at first sight is one of the meanings attached to this blossom. Since it’s related to gladiators, it also represents strength of character. The Shape: The flowers have a funnel shape essentially because of the way it’s connected to the tube like stem.

The leaves also take the spotlight when it comes to shape. The gladiolus leaves are sword shape. Petals: There is much debate about how many petals the gladiolus really has. The bottom line is that, its petals and sepals look alike. But generally, gladiolus flowers have three petals that can have solid colors on them or bi-colors. Numerology: The expression number for gladioli is 6. Venus is its symbolic planet. It relates to protection, nurturing and responsibility. Color: What make gladiolus flowers very pretty are their contrasting colors. White gladioli can have pink or red markings – which add charm and beauty to the flower. Herbalism and Medicine: Even if the superstitious beliefs about the gladiolus being a cure for colic has been debunked, it still has a number of characteristics that play a part in the field of medicine. In Africa, gladioli are used for treating colds, diarrhea and constipation.

Numerology Bulb Basics | Bulbs & More | University of Illinois Extension University of Illinois Extension Credits You may also like: The term "bulb" is used by most people to refer to plants that have underground, fleshy storage structures. Only some of the plants commonly called bulbs actually are bulbs. The definition of a bulb is any plant that stores its complete life cycle in an underground storage structure. The primary function of these underground storage structures is to store nutrient reserves to ensure the plants' survival. The definition of a bulb is any plant that stores its complete life cycle in an underground storage structure. Bulbs or bulb-like plants are usually perennials. They have a period of growth and flowering. This is followed by a period of dormancy where they die back to ground level at the end of each growing season. For spring bulbs, the end of the growing season is in late spring or early summer. Spring bulbs start to grow again in the fall and flower the following growing season. Bulbs can be broken down into five types of storage structures. These include: true bulbs, corms, tubers, tuberous roots and rhizomes.

A sixth category of fleshy roots has been added here for the purpose of showing the structure. Daylilies and peonies, which are popular plants with gardeners, are examples of this type. True Bulbs The true bulb has five major parts. It contains the basal plate (bottom of bulb from which roots grow), fleshy scales (primary storage tissue), tunic (skin-like covering that protects the fleshy scales), the shoot (consisting of developing flower and leaf buds), and lateral buds (develop into bulblets or offsets). True bulbs are divided into tunicate bulbs and imbricate bulbs. A tunicate bulb has a paper-like covering or tunic that protects the scales from drying and from mechanical injury. Good examples of tunicate bulbs include: tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths (muscari), and alliums. Many plants such as daffodils form new bulbs around the original bulb. These bulbs, called offsets, develop from buds within the base of the mother bulb and produce new plants. When these bulbs become overcrowded,the flowers start to diminish in size. This is an indication that it is time to dig up and divide the bulbs.

An example of the imbricate bulb is the lily. The imbricate bulb does not have the tunic (papery covering) to protect the fleshy scales. Imbricate bulbs must be kept constantly moist before planting so they are not injured by the scales drying out. Lilies can be propagated from bulbils that develop in the leaf axils of the plant. They can also be propagated from bulblets that develop at the base of fleshy lily scales if maintained in a moist sand medium. It will take more than one year for the bulbils or bulblets to become flower size. Corms A corm is a swollen stem base that is modified into a mass of storage tissue. A corm does not have visible storage rings when cut in half. This distinguishes it from a true bulb. The corm contains a basal plate (bottom of bulb from which roots develop),thin tunic and a growing point. Examples of plants that develop from corms include gladiolus, crocus, and autumn crocus.

When gladiolus corms are dug in the fall, they should be separated into well developed corms, to be stored for replanting, and poorly developed corms that the gardener may want to discard. The newly dug corms will have cormels that are pea size formed around the top of the old corm. The remains of the old corm will be directly beneath the newly formed corms. When the corm is cleaned up and the old stem removed, the growing point of the corm will be evident. The cormels can be saved and replanted in the back of the garden until they reach flowering size. Examples of plants that develop from corms include gladiolus, crocus, and autumn crocus. Tubers A tuber differs from the true bulb and the corm by not having a basal plant from which roots develop and not having a protective tunic covering. The caladium tuber has buds scattered over the tuber surface from which shoots and roots develop. Examples of plants that develop from tubers include caladiums, oxalis and anemones, and the common vegetable, the potato.

(The potato does flower.) Tuberous Roots The tuberous root differs from other root structures by the nutrient reserves being stored in an actual root instead of an enlarged stem. The dahlia reproduces from buds at the top end of the root or base of the stem. The tuberous root of a dahlia should not be divided before placing in storage in the fall but should be divided at planting time. The root should be divided into sections with an eye bearing portion of the stem left with each section of the root. The tuberous-rooted begonia reproduces from buds on top of the round, flat tuber. Rhizomes Rhizomes differ from other storage structures by growing horizontally under the surface of the soil. On some plants, this type of rooting structure can be very invasive. The lily-of-the-valley rhizome spreads horizontally underground and produces pips which develop into new plants. This plant is increased in the landscape by digging in the fall and removing pips with developed roots for replanting. Fleshy Roots Plants that have fleshy roots store nutrient reserves in the fleshy roots. Both peonies and daylilies can be propagated by dividing.

The root clumps of peonies should be divided in the fall leaving at least three crown buds with each clump. The daylily can be divided in the fall or spring into plantlets with a single fan of leaves. The daylily has a fleshy root system with some varieties having what might be considered a rhizome type root system. Daylilies are hardy herbaceous plants with a perennial growth habit. They have clumps of rich green,smooth foliage that dies back during the winter. Source: Bulbs and Other Rooting Structures by Ron Cornwell, University of Illinois Extension Educator, and Floyd Giles, University of Illinois Extension Specialist. Pacific Bulb Society | Gladiolus Contact Us Gladiolus Gladiolus is the largest genus in the Iridaceae family with 255 species. It has been studied by taxonomists and now includes Acidanthera , Homoglossum , Anomalesia , and Oenostachys along with species once included in Antholyza . The geographic range includes Africa, Madagascar, Europe, and the Middle East. Gladiolus has been a treasured flower in many areas of the world.

Many of the fancy hybrids that are popular garden plants had their origins in some of the South African species. Telling apart the European species commonly grown is challenging for most of us, especially since seed exchanges use a multitude of different names for what is probably the same species. Angelo Porcelli has written a paper entitled Gladiolus of Southern Italy that helps distinguish between Gladiolus byzantinus (considered by some to be a synonymn of Gladiolus communis), Gladiolus communis, and Gladiolus italicus. Gladiolus plants are subjected to Thrips , especially the ones that grow and bloom in warm weather. The standard reference book for the South African Gladiolus species is probably Goldblatt & Manning's hefty Gladiolus in Southern Africa . Another useful reference is Gladiolus in Tropical Africa . Many of the winter-growing South African species have delicate-looking, multicolored flowers that bear little resemblance to the large, bold-colored summer-growing hybrids found in garden centers.

But many of them are tough plants that can persist in the ground in a mediterranean-climate garden, and a few species (particularly Gladiolus tristis) will spread themselves around the garden by seed. These spreaders probably shouldn't be grown next to wild land in mediterranean climates. The name derives from gladius a short sword in Roman times (as in gladiator), and this is the name Pliny (around the first century AD) used in reference to the shape of the leaves of the species he was familiar with. It is said gladiators who survived were showered with gladioli and there is a Dutch saying "death or gladioli" which harks back to this. Growing from seeds is not difficult for species in this genus. It is said that South African species require temperature under 20 °C to germinate successfully but Bill Richardson found that temperature fluctuation from -2 °C (28 °F) to nearly 20 °C (68 °F) during the day does not have a huge effect on germination. Since there are summer and winter growing species, one must choose the right time for planting. Winter growing species should be planted in the fall.

Summer growing species should be sown in the spring, and require somewhat warm temperature to germinate well. Room temperature (25 °C/77 °F) works well. Sow the seeds in a well-drained mix and slightly cover with the mix. The papery wings that surround the seeds do not need to be removed. After sowing, place the pots in a tray with water and allow the medium to soak thoroughly. Above watering can dislodge the seeds and cause them to float to the surface. The seeds are most viable when planted within 1 year, although they can remain viable for longer. Allow a dry summer dormancy for the winter growing species and a dry winter dormancy for the summer growing species. It is probably best to not transplant the seedlings until they have completed their second season of growth. Information on named species can be found on the wiki pages below or by clicking on the name of the species in the table.

Southern African Gladiolus A-B - Southern African Gladiolus Ca - Southern African Gladiolus Ce-E - Southern African Gladiolus F-H - Southern African Gladiolus I-Me - Southern African Gladiolus Mi-Pa - Southern African Gladiolus Pe-R - Southern African Gladiolus S-T - Southern African Gladiolus U-Z - Gladiolus Hybrids - Miscellaneous Gladiolus The alternative Gladiolus indices list the same species sorted by color or growth cycle. Keeping Gladiolas Happy Keep Gladiolas Happy - The Tricks of the Trade Gladiolas: The Sword Lily Gladiolus is one of the many name variations for one of the most popular flowers in the world, gladiolas. Although not lilies, gladiolas are closely related. Long sword-like leaves give the gladiola its name, which comes from the Latin word gladiolus and means long sword. Its relationship to lilies probably encouraged the nickname "Sword Lily". The gladiola is actually a form of iris in the family Iridaceae.

However, happy gardeners who know how to grow gladiolas fondly call their easy-growing flowers, "glads". Glads have as many variations in color and flower texture as they do in name. Although many gardeners begin growing gladiolas for their striking addition to cut flower bouquets, the glad also adds both vertical impact and robust color to your outdoor flower garden. How to Grow Gladiolas - What to keep in Mind Although gladiolas are often sold in packs of "bulbs", glads actually grow from underground corms, which are another type of storage container for the flower's nutrients. Because glad corms are very efficient storage receptacles, it's easy to grow gladiolas in less than ideal soil. However, sun-loving glads do need a soil mixture that supplies good drainage. Like all "bulb" flowers, plant glad corms at a depth of at least twice their size. Plant corms pointed end up and scarred end down. Planting depth is important to success in growing gladiolas. Too shallow glad plantings result in crooked flower stems instead of the straight flower sheaths that make gladiolas famous.

Plant the average glad corm four to six inches deep and small gladiolas corms at slightly shallower depths. Proper cultivation is also essential to success with gladiolas. Glads don't compete well with weeds, but because of shallow planting depths, gladiolas corms and roots are susceptible to damage from too deep cultivation. A good way to keep your gladiolas both safe and weed free is to provide a light layer of mulch around your glads. If you're successful in learning how to grow gladiolas, you'll have lovely long flower stalks in 60 to 100 days. Gladiolas Bouquets - How to Cut Cut glad's for flower arrangements as soon as the lowest florets on a stem begin to show color. Cut flower spikes at an angle, using a sharp knife. Leave at least four leaves on the growing stem to allow the corms to continue development. Immediately put your gladiolas stems in water and keep them in a cool, dark area for a few hours before arranging them. After arranging, unopened florets will continue to "bloom" until the whole stem has opened.

Extend the life of your gladiola bouquet by giving the stems a fresh cut and changing their water daily. Lifting and Storing Gladiolas - Hardiness Zones 7 - 10 Gladiolas are a hardy perennial in zones 7 to 10. If you live outside of winter hardy areas, lift your glad corms and over winter them for spring replanting. Dig gladiolas corms six to eight weeks after the glads have bloomed, but only if leaves have yellowed and are dying back. If the foliage is still green, wait until the first frost, to allow the gladiolas corms to continue storing nutrients. After you lift your glads, air-dry the gladiolas corms for a week or two on trays. Then store them at 35°F to 45°F, either on the trays or store them in hanging mesh bags. Storing gladiolas corms in old nylons is an alternatively inexpensive way to safely over winter your gladiolas. Related : Gladiolus | definition of gladiolus by Medical dictionary Gladiolus | definition of gladiolus by Medical dictionary 1.

the largest and most important part of any organ. 2. any mass or collection of material. acetone b's ketone bodies . alkapton b's a class of substances with an affinity for alkali, found in the urine and causing the condition known as alkaptonuria . The compound commonly found, and most commonly referred to by the term, is homogentisic acid . amygdaloid body a small mass of subcortical gray matter within the tip of the temporal lobe, anterior to the inferior horn of the lateral ventricle of the brain. It is part of the limbic system. aortic b's small neurovascular structures on either side of the aorta in the region of the aortic arch, containing chemoreceptors that play a role in reflex regulation of respiration. asbestos b's golden yellow bodies of various shapes, formed by the deposition of calcium salts, iron salts, and proteins on a spicule of asbestos , found in the lungs, lung secretions, and feces of patients with asbestosis .

Aschoff b's submiliary collections of cells and leukocytes in the interstitial tissues of the heart in the myocarditis that accompanies rheumatic fever ; called also Aschoff's nodules. asteroid body an irregularly star-shaped inclusion body found in the giant cells in sarcoidosis and other diseases. Barr body sex chromatin . basal body a modified centriole that occurs at the base of a flagellum or cilium. carotid b's small neurovascular structures lying in the bifurcation of the right and left carotid arteries, containing chemoreceptors that monitor the oxygen content of the blood and help to regulate respiration. ciliary body see ciliary body . Donovan b's encapsulated bacteria (Calymmatobacterium granulomatis) found in lesions of granuloma inguinale , visible when a Wright-stained smear of infected tissue is viewed under a microscope. body dysmorphic disorder a somatoform disorder in which a normal-appearing person is either preoccupied with an imagined defect in appearance or is overly concerned about a very slight physical anomaly. See also body image . Called also dysmorphophobia . fimbriate body corpus fimbriatum .

foreign body a mass of material that is not normal to the place where it is found. fruiting body a specialized structure of certain fungi that produces the spores. geniculate body, lateral either of the two metathalamus eminences, one on each side just lateral to the medial geniculate bodies, marking the termination of the optic tract. geniculate body, medial either of the two metathalamus eminences, one on each side just lateral to the superior colliculi, concerned with hearing. hematoxylin body a dense, homogeneous particle, easily stainable with hematoxylin , consisting of nuclear material derived from an injured cell together with a small amount of cytoplasm. Hematoxylin bodies occur in systemic lupus erythematosus . Lymphocytes that ingest such particles are known as le cells . Called also LE body. Howell's b's (Howell-Jolly b's) smooth, round remnants of nuclear chromatin seen in erythrocytes in megaloblastic and hemolytic anemia, in various leukemias and after splenectomy.

body image the total concept, including conscious and unconscious feelings, thoughts, and perceptions, that a person has of his or her own body as an object in space independent and apart from other objects. The body image develops during infancy and childhood from exploration of the body surface and orifices, from development of physical abilities, and from play and comparison of the self with others. Changes in body image are particularly important in adolescence when attention is focused on appearance and attractiveness and relations with others. Body image is strongly influenced by parental attitudes that give the child a perception of certain body parts as good, clean, and attractive, or bad, dirty, and repulsive. The evolution of body image continues throughout life and incorporates such factors as a person's style of dress, hair style, and use of makeup, which symbolize social and professional status and other feelings about the self. Many clinical syndromes involve disturbances of body image. Disturbed body image is a nursing diagnosis that was approved by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, defined as confusion in the mental picture of one's physical self. Surgery or trauma involving disfigurement or loss of a body part can be very threatening to a patient.

Diseases involving a loss of body function, such as stroke syndrome, paraplegia, quadriplegia, coronary heart disease, and bowel or bladder incontinence, and diseases involving disfiguring skin lesions or the feeling of “rotting away” as in cancer or gangrene, can all cause changes in body image. Body image is frequently disturbed in schizophrenia, and patients may feel that their body or its parts are changing in size or shape or are ugly or threatening. Rape or violent physical assault can disturb the feeling of being secure in one's own body. Changes in body image involving sexual attractiveness or sexual identity, such as surgery or trauma involving the genitals or breasts and tubal ligation, hysterectomy, or vasectomy, can be especially difficult for the patient to deal with. Intrusive therapeutic or diagnostic procedures, such as insertion of a nasogastric tube, bladder catheterization, administration of intravenous fluids, endoscopy, and cardiac catheterization, can also threaten a patient's body image. The reaction of a patient to an alteration in body image can include mourning the loss of the former body image, fear of rejection by significant others, hostility, and experiencing of “phantom” sensations from missing body parts.

Patients with less ability to cope with their loss may respond with denial or depression. This can lead to a rejection of the altered body image and feelings of depersonalization that can involve avoidance of interpersonal contact and an unwillingness to discuss the deformity or to accept corrective medical treatment or vocational rehabilitation. inclusion b's round, oval, or irregular-shaped bodies in the cytoplasm and nuclei of cells, as in disease caused by viral infection, such as rabies, smallpox, and herpes. lamellar body keratinosome . Lafora's b's intracytoplasmic inclusions consisting of a complex of glycoprotein and acid mucopolysaccharide; widespread deposits are found in Lafora's disease , a type of epilepsy. LE body hematoxylin body. Leishman-Donovan b's round or oval bodies found in the reticuloendothelial cells, especially those of the spleen and liver, in kala-azar ; they are nonflagellate intracellular forms of Leishmania donovani . Also used to designate similar forms of Leishmania tropica found in macrophages in lesions of cutaneous leishmaniasis .

mamillary body (mammillary body) either of the pair of small spherical masses in the interpeduncular fossa of the midbrain, forming part of the hypothalamus. Masson b's cellular tissue that fills the pulmonary alveoli and alveolar ducts in rheumatic pneumonia; they may be modified Aschoff's bodies. molluscum b's large homogeneous intracytoplasmic inclusions found in the stratum granulosum and stratum corneum in molluscum contagiosum , which contain replicating virus particles and cellular debris. multilamellar body any of the osmiophilic, lipid-rich, layered bodies found in the great alveolar cells of the lung. Negri b's oval or round bodies in the nerve cells of animals dead of rabies . Nissl b's large granular bodies that stain with basic dyes, forming the reticular substance of the cytoplasm of neurons, composed of rough endoplasmic reticulum and free polyribosomes; ribonucleoprotein is one of their main constituents. Called also Nissl's granules . olivary body olive (def. 2). pituitary body pituitary gland .

polar b's 1. the small cells consisting of a tiny bit of cytoplasm and a nucleus; they result from unequal division of the primary oocyte (first polar body) and, if fertilization occurs, of the secondary oocyte (second polar body). 2. metachromatic granules located at one or both ends of a bacterial cell. psammoma b's usually microscopic, laminated masses of calcareous material, occurring in both benign and malignant epithelial and connective-tissue tumors, and sometimes associated with chronic inflammation. quadrigeminal b's corpora quadrigemina . body of sternum the second or main part of the sternum, bounded by the manubrium above and the xiphoid process below. Called also gladiolus and corpus sterni . striate body corpus striatum . trachoma b's inclusion bodies found in clusters in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells of the conjunctiva in trachoma . vitreous body the transparent gel filling the inner portion of the eyeball between the lens and retina. Called also vitreous and vitreous humor .

Pacific Bulb Society | Southern Italian Gladiolus Contact Us Southern Italian Gladiolus Gladiolus of Southern Italy, an article by Angelo Porcelli , originally appeared in The Bulb Garden Volume 10, Issue 1, Winter, 2011. Text and photos by Angelo Porcelli . I have written this to help people understand and recognize the differences between the species of European Gladiolus most commonly cultivated and seen in their natural habitat. All my considerations are based on Flora d'Italia (1982) by Prof. S. Pignatti, which is the reference on the Italian flora used in all universities in Italy. We are awaiting a new edition of this book which is close to publication. You might not know that in Italy there are eight of the so-called Eurasian Gladiolus species, which are rather similar in appearance, all having a more or less pink-magenta color. Without close observation of some details it is easy to confuse them.

In Southern Italy there are five species: Gladiolus italicus (which is present throughout Italy), Gladiolus byzantinus, Gladiolus communis, Gladiolus dubius, Gladiolus inarimensis. All the taxonomic keys are based on features that are often very difficult to check, for example, length of filaments compared to anthers, size and shape of seeds, shape of tunics of the corm. The observer can't have all the keys present at the same time; that is, if you are checking length of filaments on a fresh flower, you can't check the seeds at the same time. So for positive identification one needs to wait a whole year in order to check them all. I will start with the lesser-known species and say just a few words about them. Gladiolus dubius as the specific name indicates, is in fact a doubtful species. The Kew List of Monocots reports a Gladiolus × dubius Guss., Fl. Sicul. Prodr., Suppl.: 8 (1832) as a hybrid between Gladiolus communis and Gladiolus illyricus .

This is quite unlikely because Gladiolus illyricus is found in Italy only in the foothills of the Eastern Alps in Friuli near the Slovenia border, while Gussone (1787-1866) described the species from samples collected in Sicily, which is more than 1,000 kilometers (about 621 miles) away. Apart from the geographic distance, Pignatti reports valid taxonomic keys, so while Gladiolus illyricus is surely a valid species, the Gladiolus dubius described by Gussone could even be an ecotype of Gladiolus communis/byzantinus or an aberrant form, as well as a genuine species. I don't have any material, so I can't compare it and make any conclusion. Another lesser-known species, Gladiolus inarimensis , is endemic to Sardinia and some small islands in the Thyrrenian Sea (Ischia, Capri, Pianosa). Although Kew lists it as synonymous with Gladiolus italicus there are at least two taxonomic keys to separate these species, one of them being seeds that are not winged.

Because of the narrow habitat, it's quite possible it has never been introduced into cultivation. I have wild-collected samples still to check, so I will skip further consideration of this species. Our main discussion concerns the great confusion that exists around Gladiolus byzantinus and Gladiolus communis . As these species are rather showy, they have been in cultivation for a long time in Europe and worldwide, but not by the Italians, who often ignore their presence as elements of our native flora. The species names byzantinus and communis are often given as synonyms and you often see Gladiolus byzantinus ssp. communis, Gladiolus communis ssp byzantinus, and Gladiolus communis var. byzantinus- a true nightmare! In his Flora d'Italia Prof. S. Pignatti treats them as separate species and as he is a well-known "lumper" I have always thought if he mentions them as true separate species, he's probably very sure of this. I have always tried to understand these confusing species, checking all material available, both from my collections in habitat, and from commercial sources.

The first consideration is the difference between Gladiolus italicus and Gladiolus byzantinus/communis. This is quite straightforward: observing the flowers makes it rather easy and looking at seeds and corms makes it absolutely certain. Gladiolus italicus is the only species that doesn't make winged seeds; they are like small pepper grains with three to four angles. Its flowers are easy to tell apart from those of the other two species as they have an "open" shape, the lateral tepals are oblong, narrow and well spaced, not overlapping the upper tepal and the two lower ones. This species is highly bulbilliferous, it increases by cormlets at an alarming rate and a single corm will turn in a clump in a few years. This is the reason that all vendors selling cheap Gladiolus byzantinus are actually selling the more prolific Gladiolus italicus. About the color there's more to say. Many claim that Gladiolus byzantinus is a rich dark purple while Gladiolus italicus is a pale, dull copy, but actually that isn't so.

I have seen some photos of Gladiolus italicus that show really ugly forms, pale and small, almost deformed, and I wonder who introduced them into cultivation, seeing that in nature there are many nice, strong, colorful plants. Gladiolus italicus grows mainly in corn fields and it's not known to grow wild naturally, being always connected with human presence. We speculate it came into Italy with seeds (durum wheat that we grow in Apulia) in ancient times, probably from the Middle East. It has a reproductive cycle shorter than wheat so it doesn't resent harvesting and subsequent deep plowing, which actually helps it to spread better. It is considered a pest in agriculture ("Cyperaceae, Iridaceae and Commelinaceae as weeds," by M. Colasante, Gladiolus Corazzi, and R. Mortellaro, 5th International Conference, Ecology of Invasive Alien Plants, 13-16 October 1999, La Maddalena, Sardinia, Italy). A white form is in cultivation, wandering around as a white Gladiolus byzantinus that we should call forma alba, which would be really a gem if it existed.

Although I find references in some Italian gardening literature, again as white byzantinus, it seems that no one has ever seen a white Gladiolus italicus and, to be honest, I have never found any, having seen thousands of plants in their native habitat. More subtle is the difference between Gladiolus communis and Gladiolus byzantinus. Both species grow only in southern Italy, the latter being subendemic. Their habitats are arid lawns, garigues (low open scrubland found in poor or dry soil in the Mediterranean region) and maquis (scrubland composed primarily of leathery, often aromatic broad-leaved evergreen shrubs or small trees). In spite of the specific name Gladiolus communis, this species is not at all common. I rate it as quite rare, difficult to meet if you don't go to the right habitat. Both species don't increase by cormlets and are solitary in habitat; it's just in cultivation that they make offsets thanks to good soil and feedings.

They both make a ring of very small cormlets at the base of the new corm, but they stay dormant and entangled in the older tunics unless the main corm is damaged or dug by wild pigs, mice or porcupines. The flowers of both species are very similar, so close examination is required to tell them apart, but once you understand the key this will be easy. They have larger flowers than Gladiolus italicus and plants are taller. Gladiolus italicus averages 20 to 23 inches (50-60 cm), while Gladiolus communis and Gladiolus byzantinus grow up to 40 inches (100 cm). The main way to tell them apart is the by the shape and size of the three lower tepals. In Gladiolus communis they are more or less of the same length and width, while in Gladiolus byzantinus the central one is visibly longer and even wider. The upper central tepal is hooded in Gladiolus communis, but it points up in Gladiolus byzantinus.

The median tepals have a "spoon" shape in the former and "rhombus" shape in the latter. Color is also a bit different: Gladiolus communis often has a slight two-tone effect on the lower tepals, but this is not a reliable feature, as many individuals are a solid color, while Gladiolus byzantinus is usually a dark rich purple. I see a strain or form called "cruentu" in the United States, but I am not aware of any reference or the origin of it and, in any case, it looks to me as just a true good form of byzantinus. Plants of Gladiolus byzantinus have broader leaves and are usually more robust, while plans of Gladiolus communis are usually slimmer and taller, hence the common name of "greater gladiolus." The other true difference is the seed shape and size. Both species have winged seeds, but Gladiolus byzantinus has large seeds of about 1 cm, while Gladiolus communis seeds are 3 to 5 mm. Even the corms have visible differences in fibers.

Gladiolus italicus has a peculiar net on the tunics, especially on the top of the corm, and a rather light brown color. It's especially easy to pick out even in a batch of corms of mixed species. The other two species are more similar, but Gladiolus communis has tunics with very close parallel veins, while Gladiolus byzantinus has tunics that dissolve (separate) at the apex with parallel but much wider veins and this is a another valid key. I grow all the species in the same place and they have distinct and well-defined flowering times. Gladiolus italicus is the earliest (late March), followed by Gladiolus byzantinus (late April) and finally Gladiolus communis (late May, but in habitat mid-June, as I always find it at 1,600 feet, or 500 meters, and higher). Gladiolus index lists all the Gladiolus pictured or described on the PBS wiki. Miscellaneous Gladiolus shows additional photos of some of the species mentioned by Angelo.

Question: What is another name for the gladioli?
Answer: Sword lily