Andalucia Life Fauna and Flora, Flowers of Andalucia Southern Spain
June 2004, Wild Gladioli, Gladiolus illyricus
This month we look at the wild gladiolus. This plant, and its very close relative the Field Gladiolus - Gladiolus italicus, are native to this area. They are very common in fields and open woodland and can be seen in large drifts.
The small bulbs produce a grey green grass like foliage that is often overlooked but, from April to July a flowering stem up to 70 cm high appears with between 3 and 8 flowers per stem. The italicus may have between 6 and 15 flowers per stem.
As you can see the delicate flowers have reddish pink petals with a paler shade of pink inside.
This plant is an excellent example of one that has given birth to hundreds of cultivars that are now grown all over the world. Many will be familiar with the long stemmed, very showy, many flowered garden gladioli, that can be had in any colour apart from black. In my view the original plant needs no improvement. It is easy to imagine a bed of these plants in a garden. Being native bulbs they will survive with no attention, ideal for a low maintenance garden.
Digging up bulbs is illegal in Spain, however the plant will grow from the seeds which are ripe from July onwards although you will have to wait two years for flowers.