The MGS Forum
Plants for mediterranean gardens => Bulbs (including other geophytes with corms, tubers, rhizomes etc) => Topic started by: John on July 07, 2011, 09:17:03 AM
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I have had this plant of Gladiolus flanaganii now for three years and it was only when I potted it up into a 2 litre pot last year that it decided to flower for me and is bulking up really fast. It was from Jim and Jenny Archibald under their collection number 3261000 collected south of the Sani Pass in the Drakensberg. It's common name "suicide gladioli" is said to refer to it's preferred habitat of cliffs where attempts to collect it, or it's seed can lead to death! In the UK it is certainly frost tolerant. I presume that it's grown in the Med?
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Truly hardy Gladiolus are relatively few in number. Many gardens in the UK have grown G. byzantinus (1st picture.) which is very much like an attractive larger form of the common wild Gladiolus of the Med, G. italicus.
From South Africa G. papilio has been in cultivation for a long time and almost certainly contributed to the development of the complex large flowered hybrids. I knew it for many years as the sombre but interesting grey mauve flower which hangs it's head (2nd picture.).
About three years ago I acquired from Avon bulbs a totally different colour form called G. p 'Ruby' (3rd picture) which is otherwise similar to the typical form but a deep ruby red.
Two years ago on a trip up to the lake district I came across G. p 'David Hills' (4th picture) which is a much stronger grower and very prolific with it's offsets. It is a warm but paler red with a yellow throat.
The last two came through last winter sat outside in pots which were frozen for several days with no damage at all.
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The non-native gladioluses which do best in mediterranean climates are the ones which come from the winter-rainfall parts of South Africa. One which is a favourite with many mediterranean gardeners, for its delicacy and the purity of its creamy white flowers, is Gladiolus tristis. In the wild, this often grows in marshy spots; it is perfectly happy drying out completely in summer, and facing high temperatures then, and does best in places that get plenty of winter rain. Here it is growing in our hot Greek garden, in fairly heavy red clay, and getting some shade from surrounding shrubs. It grows just as well in another part of the garden in full sun, but the flowers there fade more quickly. Depending on the season, it flowers for us around March, but in cooler gardens won't flower until June:
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A more exotic gladiolus which also does well on clay is [/i]Gladiolus uysiae[/i] - one of those flowers which really deserves a close-up look, for the intricacy of its markings and shadings. It's quite a small plant, growing to only a few inches in height. The picture below is of some in a pot under glass in the UK, where I have been bulking them up to take out to Greece:
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Rather similar but usually a little taller, up to a foot or so, is Gladiolus watermeyeri; another of those "what's that!" really unusual flowers.
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Some of those are wonderful! thanks for sharing
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John mentioned that Gladiolus flanaganii lives on cliffs.
Here's another South African cliff-dweller, Gladiolus carmineus. It grows along the coast; the original corms that were given to me were grown from seed collected at Hermanus.
It flowers very early in the autumn, before the leaves appear. This first flower, shown here, opened this morning, under glass in the UK. I keep it completely dry during summer, and have been bulking up the corms in the hope of taking them out to our Greek garden at the end of summer, but so far every year it has defeated this intention, by starting into growth so very early, even though it is completely dry. This year the new shoots were already visible in July. This behaviour seems very unusual to me, as most summer-dry South African bulbs and corms can be held dormant by keeping them warm and dry, obediently starting into growth only when (cooled by) being watering.
But as it flowers so early we wouldn't see it anyway in Greece, as we don't go out until gardening starts in the autumn - so it's nice to have this little beauty here.
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Gladiolus tristis is a superb parent for hybrids. You have the "Homoglads", hybrids of G. tristis and G. priorii or G. huttonii. These should be super plants for a Mediterranean garden. Flowers re large, last for one month or more and every one seems to be different in those gorgeous terracotta, cream, yellow, salmon, brown, etc. shades. Should flower the second year from seed. Besides, they also set abundant seed for further production of additional colors.
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Gladiolus carinatus which I grew from seed many years ago. It produces masses of cormlets and not many flowers though it is in a pot which may be limiting. Originally it was a true blue colour but in recent years it has only produced these soft mauve coloured flowers which are quite small. I am fairly confident that I only have one clone which makes the colour change surprising unless it is cultural. One of it's best features is the scent which is knock out. By that I mean really sweet and fills the greenhouse.
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Nice gentle colour, John. Are your other flowers from this seed lot in the blues range, or are they in the yellow/pinks which also occur?
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No. To my knowledge the whole pot is one clone and as I said when it flowered in the past it was a true blue colour. I could either be wrong and have ended up with a different clone. A mutation may have taken over or my method of cultivation has changed and caused this colour. The seed came from Kirstenbosch and was acquired for me (through contacts) by a member of the HPS as I mentioned it would be nice to go back to the species to produce some new hybrids. I knew this species occurred in a real blue colour but hadn't allowed for it's flowering time which is in early spring being a winter grower and therefor flowering would not coincide with the more garden worthy species for Britain!
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Gladioli are just starting, I enjoy now Gladiolus alatus in my balcony.
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Super picture Ori, from one of the species that I prefer of the third desirable genus to me!!. Here it is blooming G. splendens and in few days G. stellatus. I will try to post some pics
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Gladiolus orchidiflorus (from Jim and Jenny Archibald seed) opened yesterday, under glass here in the UK. My picture doesn't really do justice to the rich texture of the flower, which is what merits its "orchid flower" name.
Gladiolus uysiae and watermeyeri both over a week or two ago.
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Is anyone using these interesting species in a breeding programme?
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Here's another that has just started flowering. It was given to me some years ago as G. jonquilodorus, but I don't think it is that rarity, as that has rather hooded flowers. Looks more like Gladiolus tristis to me.
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Yes, the cylindrical grooved leaves are typcal.
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Thanks, Alberto; yes, leaves are very "tristis" too.
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As mentioned it is a very good parent for hybrids in several directions within the genus, and particularly with the former Homoglossums: very strong, very floriferous with large flowers can be obtained from such crosses. You can easily store anthers for further crossing.
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Alberto and what do you think about this?...
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I have no idea what alberto think but I think they a are awesome!!!!!
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Well, they are most common in cultivation and the photos rather regular.
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jajajajajajajajajajjaJAJAJAJJAJAJ!!!!
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Gladiolus carneus is one of the commonest species from winter-rainfall areas of South Africa, not fussy about habitats, not expensive to buy as bulbs, and quite easily grown from seed - as these were, flowering at the moment under glass and given mediterranean treatment here in southern England.
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Does anyone know the name of the dear little purple/magenta gladiolus which abounds in the campo in Spain at the moment. Its delightful, very vibrant in colour and quite small.
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You have to look at the seeds, wether they are winged or roundish.
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so, G. illyricus or G. italicus, most probable.
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Muchas gracias Rafa..yes it is indeed G. illyricus.......
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The pictures below are of Gladiolus monticola, photographed today. It's quite a small species, about 30cm tall. It's been in flower since mid July, in a glasshouse which we keep under Mediterranean conditions here in the UK. The flower spikes came up while the 3-litre long tom pot was still completely dry for the plants' summer dormancy. The leaves don't appear until the flowers are over.
In the wild it seems to be confined to rocky sandstone slopes of Table Mountain and Devil's Peak in the winter-rainfall part of South Africa, where it is said to be quite common. It flowers early there too, from midsummer on, and is evidently pollinated by one of the large-veined flies (the fairly long-tongued Proscoeca nitidula). The flowers have no scent.
The second picture is a blow-up of part of the top picture, to show on one flower the pink guide marks on the three lower tepals. In some forms of the species the whole flower is a lot pinker, unlike the soft apricot of my plants.
I grew my plants from seed, sown in 2006. This is the first year they have flowered.
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WOW, congratulations Alisdar, it is a really nice species!
It seems they take a lot of time to mature the bulb?
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Rafa, Thanks. The slowness could just be me, I'm notoriously slow for raising bulbous plants from seed as I tend to leave them in their original seed pots, with a very lean compost, for a long time - probably too long.
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This must be about the most common and easy Gladiolus sp. to grow. (i.e. after Barry Humphries'/Edna Everage's own specials). But it is still pretty exciting when Alpine Garden Soc. seed exchange seeds produce their first flowers.
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Nice picture, Joanna: thanks!
It may be the most widely grown of the South African species, but it isn't that common. It's certainly well worth growing as it seems to enjoy a wide variety of mediterranean-climate conditions (including our own hot dry Greek garden where it thrives with no watering ever). It has a lovely fragrance, particularly at night.
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The local wild gladioli has seeded in my garden. It has flowered for the last 3 years, but each year it grows taller and taller. It is now about 4 feet tall. It just shows how some wild flowers respond to garden conditions.
Daisy :)
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7388/14164598952_b7073ac1bb_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/nzFgMj) (https://flic.kr/p/nzFgMj) (https://www.flickr.com/people/93752583@N02/)
(https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5583/13980654219_1530a9e979_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/niqvqp) (https://flic.kr/p/niqvqp) (https://www.flickr.com/people/93752583@N02/)
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A South African gladdie - Gladiolus abbreviatus (syn Homoglossum abbreviatum)
cheers
fermi
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What an interesting creature, Fermi! Have never seen a pic of that before....
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More to come, Alisdair ;D
here's Gladiolus gracilis, grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield, sown in 2010,
cheers
fermi
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Fermi, could you give us some information about growing Gladiolus abbreviatus? I've found that seeds are for sale. Is that how you grew your plants? were they difficult?
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Hi Fleur,
I didn't grow it from seed - I got it as a small corm many years ago and have kept it potted. It responds to the Mediterranean climate - rain in autumn/winter and kept dry in summer.
I've grown other South African gladdies from seed such as the G.gracilis and treat them the same way - sow in autumn, keep them in a pot for a couple of years growth before trying to divide them up or plant them out.
cheers
fermi
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Fermi, I grew quite a big batch of gladdie seeds from Rachel Saunders last year, mostly 'blue' species and a few of the orchid flowered kinds. They are still small tho' most growing well enough. Do you keep any permanently in pots? Any special soil mixes etc. I guess many would go straight to the bottom and escape through the drainage holes. I'm just a bot worried about them getting away. Around here watsonias have naturalised very badly on roadsides and in pasture fields - all the same dull orange squinny flowered sp. Glads of several sp can be found in old cemeteries. Do you go out collecting them like David Glenn does? I've rescued cardinalis and The Bride.
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Hi Trevor,
haven't rescued any Brides or cardinals myself! ;D
I've used a standard potting mix with added coarse sand/grit and mostly sow into 3" (7.5cm) tubes and pot on into 4" (10cm) tubes/pots, unless I decide to plant them out. When potting on or re-potting I note whether or not they produce a lot of "spawn", the tiny cormlets which cluster around the main corm, which I try to keep potted. If they reproduce readily from seed or cormlets then they could possibly become a problem and should not be left loose in our environment. Watsonia bulbifera is the most feral species around here as well.
Here's one of the "orchid" types grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield in 2008: Gladiolus virescens - a couple of years ago I planted out the largest corms thinking that they would flower that year or the next - the summer rain put paid to them that year! I'd kept the "spawn" in a tube and that's what produced the single flowering spike,
cheers
fermi
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I bought this little gladdie a month ago from Greg Boldiston (Longinomus Plants, Romsey) and it has just started to flower. Nowhere near the "Dame Edna" type! Apparently it's an endangered plant in South Africa,
cheers
fermi
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This little gladdie appeared in one of my sand-bulb-beds last year and has re-appeared. I don't remember planting a gladdie here and think it might be a Gladiolus tristis hybrid but would welcome ant suggestions,
cheers
fermi
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Really nice delicate veining - well worth keeping!
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This is what I think is Gladiolus wilsonii which I grew from NARGS Seedex (listed as G. permeabilis). It has soft grey flowers and grows best sitting in a saucer of water while in active growth,
cheers
fermi
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When I came back recently from 3 weeks away (more on that later), I discovered that the Gladiolus natalensis I planted last year with some trepidation in an unforgiving clay mound had done me proud. I got them from a woman who was concerned they were taking over her garden, but at my place something so tough, in such a luminescent shade of orange, is highly desirable.
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I love orange flowers so this goes on my wish list.
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The Gladiolus virescens has produced 2 spikes this year!
cheers
fermi
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I recently got this Gladiolus liliaceus from Greg Boldiston of Longinomus Plants in Romsey. He was very enthusiatic about it and I can see why!
During the day it is a dullish red but at night it becomes a lilac-purple and is sweetly scented!
cheers
fermi
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Wow, Fermi!
Do the flowers that have gone violet at night stay open the next day? And if so, do they go back to the dull red?
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Hi Alisdair,
Yes the next morning the flowers reverted to their original colour?
Didn't get to see it repeat the performance as the garden is in the care of a friend while we are visiting NZ!
Got to meet Mel Ager at an Otago Alpine Group meeting this week,
cheers
fermi
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Extraordinary!
Have a great time in NZ :)
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New for us this year is Gladiolus watermeyeri from NZAGS Seedex 2011,
cheers
fermi
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Hi Fermi, what unusual colourings your Gladiolus have. I am always happy to see your postings to see what new things your are 'growing'. I enjoy the different ' bulbs' as we are unable to grow them here. Your recent postings bring to mind coolness which we are hoping to get here in a few months. We have managed to keep the garden going but it involved many hours of work and constant checking for cooler sites to position plants to survive the heat and drought. Keep on posting and I will do the same as soon as I have sorted out my camera and computer.
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I also wanted to thank you for all the wonderful photos of your wonderful flowers.
They really cheered me up when I felt that there wasn't a flower around
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Thank you, Charitea and Hilary,
I enjoy your postings as well!
The best feature of the new gladdie is its scent - exactly like sweet violets!
Unlike G. liliaceus, this one is only scented during the day, so a totally different pollinator must be involved,
cheers
fermi
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The Gladiolus virescens has produced 2 spikes this year!
This year there are a lot more spikes as more corms are reaching flowering size!
They are also a couple of weeks earlier than last year.
The sweet violet scent is quite pronounced during the day,
cheers
fermi
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A year later and Gladiolus liliaceus is in flower again!
This morning the first flowers opened a muddy orange-red;
by evening had started to turn purple;
at night it was a mauve-purple with a clove scent!
cheers
fermi
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Fascinating colour sequence!
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I love it. Shouldn't it have the term ' mutabilis' somewhere in its name like the hibiscus?
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Another new one from Greg Boldiston - Gladiolus meliusculus is a lovely shade of orange,
cheers
fermi
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A "new" one - Gladiolus miniatus - grown from seed from NZAGS Seedex 2011,
cheers
fermi
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From South Africa G. papilio has been in cultivation for a long time and almost certainly contributed to the development of the complex large flowered hybrids. I knew it for many years as the sombre but interesting grey mauve flower which hangs it's head...About three years ago I acquired from Avon bulbs a totally different colour form called G. p 'Ruby' (3rd picture) which is otherwise similar to the typical form but a deep ruby red.
I got seed of the ruby form of Gladiolus papilio but it must've been cross-pollinated as the resulting flower is lovely but not what I expected! It is quite vigorous too - though it took 7 years to flower from seed - the first flowers were in February last year and I planted it out in the garden where it has come into flower in less than 11 months and in an abundance!
cheers
fermi
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A very lucky seedling, Fermi, well worth propagating!
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Congratulations, Fermi, on keeping a non-flowering pot of seedlings safe and labelled for seven years.
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Lovely colour Fermi. I used to grow G. papilio in Cornwall. So moody I loved it, but your new seedling is a gorgeous shade. Congratulations. I hope you toasted your new seedlings flowering with a glass or bottle of champagne.
Daisy
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A friend gave us this red flowered hybrid Gladdie a few years ago and it is doing well this year
cheers
fermi
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This gladdie came up last year in a bed where I hadn't planted it (or at least didn't remember planting it!).
This year it has come into flower and it appears to be Gladiolus dalenii, though the flower looks a bit different to the ones that flowered in another part of the garden (fourth pic),
cheers
fermi
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Could it perhaps be a self-sown hybrid, Fermi?
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Hi Alisdair,
the next florets to open were more typical for Gladiolus dalenii so I guess the first one was just an aberration!
I must've moved a corm up here from the other part of the garden at some time in the past - possibly when moving something else or I might've found a corm and just planted it here as somewhere to put it. Obviously I can't label everything! ;D
cheers
fermi
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But a nice aberration anyway.
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I showed a (poor quality) pic of this gladdie in 2014 when it first flowered.
Gladiolus gracilis grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield
cheers
fermi
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What subtle colouring!
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After many years without them I I planted some Gladiolus Acidanthera murieliae this year prompted by a request to help a group of post operative cancer suffers find new interests and hope in their lives.- the idea that planting things and ( hopefully) seeing them grow would be therapeutic. I thought long and hard and amongst other things gave each participant six corms of the above. Those remaining I planted for myself.
I have received 'photos of successful results with enthusiastic comments as to their beauty and wonderful perfume and I too have been delighted to rediscover this lovely plant.
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Carole, this poor plant seems to have gone through a bit of an identity crisis. Apparently it started as an Acidanthera before becoming Gladiolus callianthus. I bought some bulbs under this name from the Chelsea Flower Show in 2012. I gave half to my sister in Derbyshire, as I was staying with her, and brought the rest home to Cyprus. Mine grew but did not flower, before giving up altogether, while hers produced an abundance of flowers and came back the following year. I must ask her how they have fared since then.
I see they are now known as Gladiolus murielae. ???
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Actually, it has changed name again, according to The Plant List the accepted name is now Gladiolus murielae. I have grown it a few times in Norway, I seem to remember they were sold under the name Ixia (I remember the genus only, and not the species). They flowered well the first summer, but I didn't have much luck the second year, although I tried to overwinter the bulbs in a frost-free place.
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I too grow [/i] Gladiolus murielae. But it only flowered for me the first year, 3 summers go. Last year lots of leaf growth but no flowers and this year the same. The leaves came up even later this year and are now at about a metre high. I changed the position they are in last autumn and they only get afternoon sun now so the pot (large) they are in doesn't start to get baking heat until after 13.00. Could this be the problem?
Whatever the problem is, I intend to dig them up and dot a few around the garden in various places to see which is the best spot for them.
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Gladiolus carneus is a common "dwarf gladdie" in southern Australia. It can be very vigorous in Melbourne but it hasn't been quite as ebullient here. This little clump is coming into flower while its foliage is already drying off! It mightn't do that if we grew it somewhere which gets more water (although it was a very dry start to spring this year)
cheers
fermi
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That is very pretty Fermi....any perfume? Reminds me a little of Gladiolus callianthus....
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It's quite a variable species; we grow a rather pinker form, from IBSA seed - as far as I remember it doesn't have much if any scent.
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This little gladdie appeared in a "community pot" of stray bulbs after repotting a few years ago. It looks like Gladiolus alatus, though I don't think I'd ever had it in my collection - a bit of a mystery
cheers
fermi
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What a beautiful surprise Fermi.
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Yes indeed a beautiful surprise and a beautiful flower, such an unusual colour. 😊
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Lovely surprise (and definitely alatus!)
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Yes, a pleasant surprise - I just hope that now that I know what it is that it doesn't decide to become difficult to keep! Sometimes ignorance is bliss ;D
Gladiolus virescens has gone from strength to strength since flowering in 2014, grown from seed from Gordon Summerfield in 2008
cheers
fermi
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These gladdies have been posted in previous years and are performing well again:
Gladiolus abbreviatus
Gladiolus watermeyeri
Gladiolus gracilis
cheers
fermi
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I love all your photos Fermi. They come just the right time. We are 'baking' here and yours postings bring such freshness. Thank you.
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Gladiolus tristis
A postcard sent to me by Sally in February this year
The photo by Davina Michaelides shows one of the plants growing in Sparoza garden
This very plant is mentioned in
REMEMBERING A GARDEN ON A GREEK HILLSIDE- SPAROZA 1979-80:
PART 4 SPRING
By Graham Kendall
THE MEDITERRANEAN GARDEN number 97, July 2019
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This is Gladiolus virescens ssp virescens which is a bit greener than the Gladiolus virescens I've posted in the past (which is yet to flower this year). This one came from Greg Boldiston who used to run a Nursery called "Longinomus" in Lancefield,
cheers
fermi
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Gladiolus meliusculus doing well this year
cheers
fermi
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Gladiolus meliusculus - a paler version grown from seed from the NZAGS seedex in 2008
cheers
fermi
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Gladiolus saundersii is flowering for the first time.
Grown from seed from the SRGC 2017 Seedex sown in April 2018, so less than 3 years to flower.
I've had to keep it in a tray with frequent watering during the summer
cheers
fermi
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Hi Fermi,
Thank goodness for the southern hemisphere. Where would we be up here in the cold, wet and windy weather without your lovely flowers to cheer us up? Or perhaps there are those who like winter? It takes all sorts to make a world. When I lived in Malaysia I missed the seasons. But rather like Yorkshire when Yorkshire was "proper Yorkshire", a year divided into ridings (thirds) would have suited me fine. Those Norsemen had got it right - dividing by 3 is much better. Spring, summer, autumn and then back to spring again. Who needs winter?
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Congratulations Fermi. It is beautiful.
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Congratulations Fermi. It is beautiful.
A belated "thank you", Charithea. It is lovely but being a summer grower it's more by luck than good practice that I got it to flower! I'll have to plant it out in a part of the garden that gets water over summer.
Here's a new addition, another summer grower that I got at our local group's Plant Swap last month. It was just labelled "dwarf pink gladdie" so I'm not sure if it's a species or a hybrid. I've included a pic of it with a tape measure to show how small it is
cheers
fermi