Gladiolus x colvillei 'Albus'


Flowers. Photo from R. V. Roger		Foliage	Form Click on photo from Old House Gardens
Plant Name Click to Exit to Comparison Page or Click on Browser Back Arrow to Return to Site Map or Index Page or link to Ivydenegardens.co.uk Welcome Page or Gladiolus European NON-CLASSIFIED AND SPECIES Corm Site Map	Gladiolus x colvillei nanus 'Albus' Classification Code x00 From the Latin gladius ("sword"), the name used by Pliny, referring to the shape of the leaves. Gladiolus x colvillei is a name attributed to crosses between Gladiolus cardinalis and Gladiolus tristis. Member of Nanus Cultivar Group.
Common Name	Hardy Gladiolus.
Soil	Well-drained Sand or Chalk with Humus with pH 6.1 - 7.5 (Apply 4 inch deep mulch with mown autumn leaves and grass by each December, mix that mulch in with the top 9 inches of soil before replanting in April/May after last expected frost - further cultivation details in the Introduction Page). Can be planted in Clay using Dombrain's method to prevent rotting of the corm.
Sun Aspect	Full Sun
Soil Moisture	Dry
Plant Type	Perennial Corm
Height x Spread in feet	12-18 inches x 5 inches
Foliage	Sometimes narrow Dark Green leaves are found on the stem.
Flower Colour - Classification Colour - in Month(s). Seed	White - White (Pale) 00 - flowers with yellow stripes and bluish anthers in late June-early July. R.V. Roger despatch these between July and September, so grow inside in a deep pot for flowering in the autumn, before putting the contents of the pot in the garden in mid-May so that it can flower at its usual time in the summer.
Comment	"The earliest group of hybrids to become commercially available were all dwarf (up to 30 inches tall). The first was the Gladiolus x colvillei group that appeared in 1823, and resulted from crosses between Gladiolus cardinalis and Gladiolus tristis made by James Colville, a nurseryman of Chelsea. These plants were principally a race of orange- and red-flowered plants and were quickly superceeded, but still surviving from that tranche is nanus 'Albus' (1826), which has white flowers with pink anthers. Subsequently the same cross was made again and produced 'The Bride' (1871), which has white flowers with white anthers. Later in the nineteenth century, Gladiolus cardinalis was crossed with Gladiolus blandus in Holland, to produce what became known as the 'Charm' hybrids, Gladiolus x ramosus: some of these and their successors are still grown today. Later, these were back-crossed with Gladiolus cardinalis by several breeders, to give rise to a group which became known as the 'Nanus' hybrids. Gladiolus x nanus." from Heligan: fruit, flowers and herbs. Place bonemeal well below the roots before planting. Set corms at least 4 inches deep, about 6-10 inches apart. In colder areas, corms best lifted after flowering. Dry and store in well-ventilated, warm place where temperature is about 11 Centigrade. These are "relatives of the hybrid Gladioli that are commonly grown during the summer, but these are winter-growing species from South Africa. In their native habitats, which range from seasonal wetlands to dry grass plains, they emerge in early winter as temperatures start to fall (8-10 Centigrade at night, 20-24 Centigrade during the day), producing sword-like foliage and sprays of the most delightful flowers. They all require a bone dry dormancy in the summer. Superb in a pot in a frost-free greenhouse or sunny conservatory. Need a very well-drained compost, water once on planting and leave until shoots emerge, then water and feed regularly." from R.V. Roger. Available from R. V. Roger and Old House Gardens. with seeds from B & T World Seeds in America R.V. Roger sells these other varieties for frost-free conditions - links are provided here to flower photos from other websites:- Gladiolus alatus - Orange flowers with lime green falls in July-August, Gladiolus angustus - Pale yellow flowers in May-September, Gladiolus caeruleus - Pale blue flowers in December-April but only for a week or so, Gladiolus 'Carine' - Creamy-white flowers over a month between June-October depending on the severity of the preceeding winter and your treatment, Gladiolus carinatus - Mauve flowers in March-June, Gladiolus 'Charm' - Violet-pink flowers in July-August, Gladiolus 'Charming Beauty' - Rose-pink flowers in June-August, Gladiolus 'Charming Lady' - Purple-pink flowers over a month between June-October depending on the severity of the preceeding winter and your treatment, Gladiolus x colvillei 'Albus' - White flowers in June, Gladiolus 'Elvira' - Pale pink flowers in July, Gladiolus floribundus - Cream flowers in June-July, Gladiolus gracilis - Pale mauve flowers in February-May, Gladiolus griseus - Purple, mauve and lime green flowers in May-July, Gladiolus huttonii - Red and orange flowers in December-March, Gladiolus 'Las Vegas' - Yellow flowers in April-July "An excellent reference for Gladiolus species native to South Africa is: Gladiolus in Southern Africa by Peter Goldblatt and John ManningFernwood Press, Vlaeberg, S.A., c 1998 Information for some of the Cape species and details of the origin of modern glads can be found in: Growing Gladioli by Eric Anderton and Ron Parks Timber Press, Portland, OR, c 1989 Cultural information on Gladiolus species and many other genera of cape bulbs can be found in: Cape Bulbs by Richard L.Doutt Timber Press, Portland, OR, c 1994" from David Selinger, University of Arizona, America. There are more than 10,000 hybrids and cultivars of Gladiolus.

Single Flower. Photo from R. V. Roger		Single Leaf.	Fruit