GLADIOLUS ABBREVIATUS - INDIGENOUS SOUTH AFRICAN BULB - 5 IN SOUTH AFRICA

  Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword) is a genus of perennial bulbous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae). Sometimes called the sword lily, the most widely used English common name for these plants is simply gladiolus (plural gladioli, gladioluses or sometimes gladiolas). The genus is distributed in Mediterranean Europe, Asia, Tropical Africa and South Africa. The centre of diversity of the genus is located in the Cape Floristic Region, where most species were discovered. These attractive, perennial herbs are semi hardy in temperate climates. They grow from rounded, symmetrical corms, that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics. These flowers are variously colored, pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red. Grows 30cm to 65cm with reddish flowers with very short green to blackish lower tepals. Flowers winter to spring. USDA Zone - 8 Season to Sow - Autumn   Please familiarise yourself with the shipping info below Shipping Rates are as listed below Approximate processing and transit times are listed below PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DO NOT SHIP OUTSIDE OF SOUTH AFRICA