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Products > Gladiolus dalenii
 
Gladiolus dalenii - Parrot Gladiola

Note: This plant is no longer in stock. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.  
Image of Gladiolus dalenii
 
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Bulb/Tuber/Rhizome etc.
Family: Iridaceae (Irises)
Origin: South Africa (Africa)
Flower Color: Orange
Bloomtime: Summer/Fall
Synonyms: [Gladiolus primulinus, G. natalensis]
Height: 2-3 feet
Width: 2-3 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: 10-15° F
Gladiolus dalenii - A beautiful vigorously-growing bulb-like (corm) plant that has strap-shaped foliage to 2 feet tall. In early fall, the bell-shaped flaring-petaled orange flowers with yellow throats sit atop multiple 3 foot long inflorescences. Though often listed as spring blooming our form consistently seems to bloom its 'candy corn' colored blooms for Halloween - in late October. Plant in full sun in a relatively well-drained soil. This is a summer growing Gladiolus that requires some summer irrigation. Hardy to 10- 15 degrees F. The species is common and widespread in Southern Africa where it can be found in the summer-rainfall regions of the Eastern Cape from East London to southern KwaZulu-Natal and from the coast to as far inland as Lesotho. It can also be found growing further to the north in tropical Africa. There are many forms which may account for some listing this as a spring flowering bulb. Among the common names are Parrot Gladiola, African Gladiolus, Maid-of-the-Mist and Sword Lily. The name Gladiolus is a Latin word meaning "a small sword" in reference to its narrow sword-shaped leaves. The specific epithet was given to this plant by Petrus Cornelius (Pierre Corneille) Van Geel in 1828 to honor the Dutch botanist Cornelius Dalen, who was the Director, Rotterdam Botanic Gardens. We were first given this plant by the incredible plantsman Fred Meyer in the early 1980's and have listed in our annual catalogs since 1985. 

The information displayed on this page about Gladiolus dalenii is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.

 
We closed for regular business at the end of 2025 in order for the property to be developed for affordable housing.
Our gates remain closed but we will open them by appointment to interested parties through August 21st to liquidate remaining plants, supplies and equipment.
The plants remaining in the field are listed on our
Live Inventory Page.
 
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