grassroots Horticulture : Gladiolus

(sold as) Byzantine Gladiolus, Turkish Corn-Flag, Cornflag

Gladiolus communis ssp. byzantinus

4/18-/22

The genus Gladiolus contains about 300 species, the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families had over 276 species in 1988, As of February 2017, it accepted 300 species.

Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword) is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae).

Gladioli have been extensively hybridized and a wide range of ornamental flower colours are available from the many varieties. The main hybrid groups have been obtained by crossing between four or five species, followed by selection: 'Grandiflorus', 'Primulines' and 'Nanus'. They can make very good cut flowers for display.

Gladioli grow from round, symmetrical corms (similar to crocuses) that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.

Their stems are generally unbranched, producing 1 to 9 narrow, sword-shaped, longitudinal grooved leaves, enclosed in a sheath. The lowest leaf is shortened to a cataphyll. The leaf blades can be plane or cruciform in cross section.

The flower spikes are large and one-sided, with secund, bisexual flowers, each subtended by 2 leathery, green bracts

Magenta colored gladiolus genera include the following;

Gladiolus communis cornflag.

Gladiolus italicus is a species of gladiolus known by the common names Italian gladiolus, field gladiolus, and common sword-lily.

Gladiolus illyricus, the wild gladiolus, is a tall gladiolus plant that grows up to 50 centimeters (20 in) tall found in western and southern Europe, particularly around the Mediterranean region.

Gladiolus imbricatus. Species is found Central and East Europe, also in the countries of Mediterranean Sea, and Caucasus, Western Siberia.

Gladiolus palustris, common name marsh gladiolus or sword lily. Latin name palustris, meaning growing in marshes, refers to the alleged environment of this species.

Gladiolus palustris

Plates from Hortus Eystettensis, the Garden of Eichstatt, Basilius Besler (1561-1629) (after) Wolfgang Kilian (1581-1662) et al. (engravers), Nuremberg: 1613.

The gladiolus in the Hortus Eystettensis are clearly very different from our modern, large-flowered hybrids, which have been bred with increasing success from African species not introduced until the second half of the 18th century. In contrast, Besler shows European species that are indigenous to the Mediterranean region, a few of which are also found in Germany: Gladiolus palusyris and Gladiolus communis subspecies byzantinus.

The prints were commissioned by Johann Konrad von Gemmingen (c. 1561-1612), Prince-Bishop of Eichstätt, to chronicle his garden through the four seasons, with most of the plants depicted actual size. This garden, which encircled the Episcopal residence, was one of the first of its kind, an inclusive display of shrubs and flowering plants, mostly European, but with some then exotic species from Asia, Africa and the Americas. Basil Besler, a pharmacist and botanist, was retained as an artist to record the glories of the garden. Besler worked on intermittently over a 16-year period, on site or from specimens. A team of at least six engravers faithfully translated Besler’s drawings to copperplates, Wolfgang Kilian chief among them. The prints survived the gardens themselves, which fell into neglect after von Gemmingen died, and were destroyed by invading Swedish troops in 1634. The copperplates from which the prints were used to print a second and a third edition. They remained at Eichstätt until around 1800 and disappeared several years later.

Gladiolus communis is listed in Thomas Jefferson's, Monticello, Garden plant book. 1812.

Lady Jean Skipworth of Prestwould, Virginia, lists Gladiolus communis, corn flags in her Garden notes of 1793. Jean Skipwith, Lady Skipwith (1748 - 1826) was a Virginia plantation owner and manager who is noted for her extensive garden, botanical manuscript notes, and library. At the time of her death, her library was perhaps the largest existing library assembled by a woman. Born Jane Miller, February 21, 1747 or 1748, in Prince George County, Virginia, youngest of four children of Hugh and Jane (Bolling) Miller, tobacco grower, merchant, and vestryman of Old Blandford Church of Bristol Parish, Petersburg, VA.