While Gladiolus papilio is indeed a spreader and quite hardy here in NY the voles tend to thin any swathes that get too thick. They can also grow in numbers in South Africa where they are from, usually in wet areas, but both there and here rodents will eat the corms and deer will eat the inflorescences (and Japanese Beetles seem to love the flowers) so I wouldn't worry too much about it taking over in my area. it doesnt stand a chance against Phragmites or even Cattails. Some forms seem more vigorous than others as well, I have a hard time keeping my best marked one alive (maybe rodents are the reason) but another form (both from S Africa sources) does extremely well until it forms big clumps that the voles then notice. Ernie DeMarie near Ossining NY where it snowed last night more than expected and we are going into a very cold night with lows in the low teens F.
On Sunday, December 14, 2025 at 09:32:38 PM EST, Laura Grant via pbs <pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote:
I can add one more.
Gladiolus papilio has gone wild through my garden spreading by root
runners. At the end of each root there is a new bulb.
Laura in Niagara
On Sat, Dec 13, 2025, 10:41 PM Janet Hoffmann via pbs <
pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote:
> I have spent the past couple seasons in my San Jose area, California
> garden ripping out some Ferraria crispa that started going crazy after
> about 3 years in the ground. I belatedly read that they are invasive in
> Australia.
>
> I have also become careful to cut off the seed heads on Homeria,
> Crocosmia, Allium unifolium, Amaryllis belladonna, Hyacintha hispanica.
> Freesia laxa and Tulipa clusiana. This seems to keep them from spreading
> beyond the clumps where they are planted.
>
> I had Oxalis purpurea in the ground for over 20 years before the clump
> started spreading rather vigorously. They are now coming up in an area
> across 20’ of concrete from the location where they were planted and I am
> not sure if animals are spreading the bulbs being as I don’t see seeds on
> them.
>
> The CA native Triteleia laxa can also spread rather vigorously from bulbs
> offsetting, not from seed or animal dispersal.
>
> Having this discussion of potentially problematic plants and how people
> keep them under control is helpful.
>
> Janet Hoffmann
> Campbell, CA
>
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