Gladiolus priorii


Quick Characteristics:

Flower Colors: red
Life form: corm
Climate: winter rain climate
 

Gladiolus priorii (N.E.Br.) Goldblatt & M.P.de Vos (syn. Homoglossum priorii (N.E.Br.) N.E.Br.) is a fall blooming species (April to June) found on sandstone and granite slopes in the Southwestern Cape, South Africa. Growing from 30 to 40 cm high, it has leathery linear leaves and tubular red flowers with yellow throats in a one to four flowered spike. They droop slightly, making it hard to see the centers unless you crouch down. It is considered relatively easy to grow in captivity, although Mary Sue Ittner has found in her Northern California coastal garden that it is short lived and has to be started regularly from seed. The first photo from Bob Rutemoeller shows a plant growing in the ground, flowering in November. The second photo was taken by Mary Sue Ittner, the third by Alan Horstmann, the fourth by Michael Mace, and the last by Bill Dijk.

Gladiolus priorii, Bob RutemoellerGladiolus priorii, Mary Sue IttnerGladiolus priorii, Alan HorstmannGladiolus priorii, Michael MaceGladiolus priorii, Bill Dijk

The first two photos were taken by Cameron McMaster. The last two photos were taken by Rachel Saunders. The first of these was taken June 2011 of this species blooming on Table Mountain in the southwestern Cape in an area that had previously burned and the second in Hermanus.

Gladiolus priorii, Cameron McMasterGladiolus priorii, Cameron McMasterGladiolus priorii, Table Mountain, Rachel SaundersGladiolus priorii, Hermanus, Rachel Saunders


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Page last modified on July 14, 2022, at 06:31 AM