Gladiolus carmineus
11th September 2011
A very beautiful autumn flowering species. The first thing to emerge after the autumn watering ( rain in habitat, hosepipe
in the greenhouse) is the flower scape, followed by a fan of thin winter leaves. I grew it from seed
sown in 2007, but this is the first time it has flowered so there hasn't previously been a good reason for showing
a picture here. The leaves have the same appeal as a night at the theatre watching somebody darning socks.
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| 14th September 2013 |
13th September 2015 |
2nd September 2017 |
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11th September 2021
A species with a very restricted natural distribution in the southwestern Cape, always growing close to the sea.
In cultivation here it has been both tolerant and adaptable.