Gladiolus dalenii Seeds - South African Indigenous Perennial Bulb - Combined Worldwide Shipping

Gladiolus dalenii Seeds

South African Indigenous Flowering Perennial Bulb

Gladiolus is the largest genus in the Iridaceae family with around 255 species. They are perennial bulbous flowering plants, sometimes called ‘Sword lilies’, but usually by its generic name, Gladiolus. It has been studied by taxonomists and now includes the genera Acidanthera, Homoglossum, Anomalesia and Oenostachys. The geographic range includes Africa, Madagascar, Europe, and the Middle East. They are treasured the world over for their beautiful, showy flowers which grow on tall spikes. These plants are often planted in cut flower gardens or in the back along the border, as they grow 60cm to 1.8 m tall. They make excellent cut flowers and are easily grown in raised garden beds and rockeries. Most Gladioli do equally well in pots. Gladioli are the flowers associated with a fortieth wedding anniversary. Gladiolus dalenii is an indigenous plant from the summer rainfall regions of South Africa where it can be found from the Eastern Cape north of East London to southern KwaZulu-Natal, from the coast to as far inland as the Lesotho border. Further north it extends through tropical Africa as far as western Arabia. It is found in open grassland, woodland and scrub and in rocky areas, often among rocks along streams, at altitudes up to 2 500 m. It grows up to 2 m tall. The leaves are erect, 20 mm wide, grey-green in colour and arranged in a loose fan. It blooms in summer when it produces five tall flower spikes with up to 7 large, intensely scarlet orange to red or variously coloured, hooded flowers. These make excellent cut flowers.