GLADIOLUS. Europe, Africa, Madagascar. The species and primary hybrids described below are as distinct from the modern garden glads as species roses are from today’s hybrid teas. They have erect, narrow leaves and carry several large, often beautifully colored, trumpet shaped blossoms on each slender stem. Sun or light shade, most soils, little or no watering after the leaves wither. Hardy to 20^oF. or below; those which grow actively through the winter months are the more vulnerable to hard freezes.

byzantinus (communis ssp. byzantinus). A robust plant with closely packed underground corms. Stems 2’ or more tall rise above iris-like leaves to display many blossoms painted rose-coral and white. Our plants have bloomed mostly in early spring, but at times have two complete cycles of growth and bloom per year.

cardinalis hybrid. Though it has come to us without a name, this is one of the most beautiful of all the gladiolus I have grown. It forms dense clumps with many stems to about 2’ high. The leaves are quite narrow, ribbed and distinctly blue-green in color. The flowers are large and strikingly colored, with clear white markings on a deep red background.

x colvillei. These are hybrids between G. cardinalis, a spectacular red flowered species, and G. tristis, described below. They are of moderate size, with the slender stems and leaves of G. tristis. Flowers vary from white to deep red or purple, with beautiful markings in the throat. The late Dara Emery, who was better known for his work with California natives, repeated this cross and outcrossed it with other species like G. carmineus, with some wonderful results. I was fortunate to receive his collection from the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, after his passing in 1992. The first of these to be introduced, dubbed ‘Rose Delight’, has rose pink flowers, dramatically marked with maroon.‘Painted Tips’ has pale pink flowers, each segment tipped with purplish red. ‘Grape Delight’ is reddish purple in overall shading, with lighter and darker markings.

dalenii. This plant is similar in appearance to G. byzantinus, above, with slightly broader leaves and perhaps taller stems. It flowers in summer, carrying large, well-spaced blossoms painted bright yellow to deep orange with yellow markings. The upper petal is broadened and curved into a large hood.

palustris. This is a central European species, growing and flowering in spring and summer. The stems are 1-1½’ high, with narrow dark green leaves. The flowers are nearly bell-shaped though pinched a little laterally, vivid magenta in color. It is winter-deciduous and hardy to 0^oF. or less.

tristis. This has long been among my favorite spring blooming bulbs. Its grass-like 2’ leaves appear in fall from tightly clustered corms. They are followed in early spring by slender 2-4’ wands of cream-colored blossoms which are deliciously fragrant at night. Our own selection, ‘Moonlight’, is particularly floriferous and has moonlight yellow blossoms.