Bloom Time
Jun, Jul, Aug
Plant Type
Herb/Forb, Bulb, Edible
Lifespan
Perennial, Bulb
Flower
Many cultivars with a variety of colors. Edible once anthers are removed. Bloom from late summer into early fall. Inflorescences spicate, partly to fully secund (on one side of the spike) or with flowers weakly distichous; bracts green, sometimes flushed grayish purple, unequal, outer usually exceeding inner, acute or inner forked or notched apically. Flowers zygomorphic [actinomorphic]; tepals basally connate into tube, variously colored, usually with contrasting markings comprising nectar guide on outer tepals, usually unequal, dorsal tepal largest, arched to hooded over stamens, outer 3 tepals narrower; perianth tube obliquely funnel-shaped to cylindric; stamens usually unilateral; anthers usually parallel; style usually arching over stamens, dividing into 3 filiform branches, these distally expanded.
Fruit
Capsules usually slightly inflated, oblong to ellipsoid or globose [rarely nearly cylindric], softly cartilaginous. Seeds usually many, broadly winged; rarely few, wingless, globose or angular; seed coat light to dark brown.
Bees
Order
Asparagales
Family
Iridaceae
Genus
Gladiolus
PlantStory Copyright 2024 Plant Identification Inc. All rights reserved