Gladiolus papilio
Gladiolus papilio is a true wetland species and it only occurs in wetlands and seeps of South Africa but thrives well in ordinary garden soils in New Zealand. It was introduced to UK in 1866.
It requires full sun and moderate amounts of water. Planted in well-drained soil in full sun Gladiolus papilio will increase freely, giving you pleasure for years to come.
They grow from rounded, symmetrical, corms that are enclosed in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics. In spring narrow grey-green sword like foliage emerges from the corms below ground.
By late summer into autumn stems can grow up to a metre carry numerous nodding buds however in cultivation it is about half that height.
These open to form an exquisite flower that on close inspection is fascinating. The tall stems carrying downcast heads of flowers with a very unusual shape and the colour is variable. The back of the petals is a yellow-green shading suffused with dusky pink to slate-purple. Inside of these petals is a stunning arrangement of blue anthers held within a creamy heart. The lower lips are feathered and marked in purple and greenish yellow resembling the wings of a butterfly leading to its common name of "Butterfly sword lily".
Gladiolus is from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword, is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). The genus occurs in Asia, Mediterranean Europe, South Africa, and tropical Africa. It is sometimes called the 'sword lily', but is usually called by its generic name gladioli.
A relatively new cultivar is available in the UK
It requires full sun and moderate amounts of water. Planted in well-drained soil in full sun Gladiolus papilio will increase freely, giving you pleasure for years to come.
They grow from rounded, symmetrical, corms that are enclosed in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics. In spring narrow grey-green sword like foliage emerges from the corms below ground.
By late summer into autumn stems can grow up to a metre carry numerous nodding buds however in cultivation it is about half that height.
These open to form an exquisite flower that on close inspection is fascinating. The tall stems carrying downcast heads of flowers with a very unusual shape and the colour is variable. The back of the petals is a yellow-green shading suffused with dusky pink to slate-purple. Inside of these petals is a stunning arrangement of blue anthers held within a creamy heart. The lower lips are feathered and marked in purple and greenish yellow resembling the wings of a butterfly leading to its common name of "Butterfly sword lily".
Gladiolus is from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword, is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). The genus occurs in Asia, Mediterranean Europe, South Africa, and tropical Africa. It is sometimes called the 'sword lily', but is usually called by its generic name gladioli.
A relatively new cultivar is available in the UK
- Gladiolus papilio 'Ruby' – dark red flowers with darker markings.
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