Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus

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Byzantine gladiolus

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Byzantine gladiolus RHS
Byzantine gladiolus RHS
Byzantine gladiolus visionspictures.com
Byzantine gladiolus visionspictures.com

Synonyms

Gladiolus nanus 'Byzantinus'
Gladiolus byzantinus

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A perennial to 90cm, growing from a corm, with erect sword-shaped leaves nearly as tall as the flowering stems. Deep magenta, funnel-shaped flowers with paler markings on the tepals, are 5cm in width, and borne in erect spikes from late spring to early summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0-0.1 metre

Size

Time to Maturity
2–5 years
Max Spread
0-0.1 metre
Max Height
0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand
Moisture
Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Iridaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Columnar upright
Potentially harmful
Ornamental bulbsnot to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus
Gladiolus are cormous perennials with fans of sword-shaped or linear leaves and spikes of funnel-shaped flowers
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
S Spain, Sicily

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant corms 10-15cm deep and 10cm apart in any well-drained with full sun. Ideal for planting in groups in the border or in gravel gardens, suits naturalising in long grass and meadows if planted out when in growth; spreads freely from cormlets. See bulbs: naturalising and bulb cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by separating cormlets when dormant

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildflower meadow
  • Coastal
  • Gravel garden
  • Wall side borders
  • Cut flowers
  • Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Tidy after foliage dies down if necessary

Pests

May be susceptible to gladiolus thrip, aphids and slugs

Diseases

May be susceptible to gladiolus corm rot, grey moulds (Botrytis), Fusarium bulb rot, gladiolus core rot, gladiolus dry rot, gladiolus scab and neck rot, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases