Gladiolus Species, Abyssinian Gladiola, Fragrant Gladiolus, Peacock Orchid
Gladiolus murielae
Family: | Iridaceae (eye-rid-AY-see-ee) (Info) |
Genus: | Gladiolus (GLAD-ee-oh-lus) (Info) |
Species: | murielae (mur-ee-EL-ay) (Info) |
Synonym: | Acidanthera bicolor |
Synonym: | Acidanthera murielae |
Synonym: | Gladiolus callianthus |

Category:
Bulbs
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Water Requirements:
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Foliage:
Herbaceous
Foliage Color:
Height:
24-36 in. (60-90 cm)
Spacing:
6-9 in. (15-22 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Where to Grow:
Danger:
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction
Bloom Color:
Scarlet (dark red)
Maroon/Burgundy
White/Near White
Bloom Characteristics:
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Mid Fall
Other details:
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)
Seed Collecting:
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Saltcoats,
Dothan, Alabama
Holly Pond, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Tuskegee, Alabama
Anchorage, Alaska
Amesti, California
Anderson, California
August, California
Corralitos, California
Elkhorn, California
GARBERVILLE, California
Interlaken, California
Livermore, California
Merced, California
Pajaro, California
Perris, California
San Jose, California
Watsonville, California
West Hollywood, California
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Brookfield, Connecticut
Centerbrook, Connecticut
Stratford, Connecticut
Bartow, Florida
Brandon, Florida
Brooksville, Florida
Cocoa, Florida
Deland, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Miami, Florida
Milton, Florida
Panama City, Florida
Sarasota, Florida
Trenton, Florida
Braselton, Georgia
Dacula, Georgia
Gainesville, Georgia
Mansfield, Georgia
Kihei, Hawaii
Wahiawa, Hawaii
Washington, Illinois
West Chicago, Illinois
Zion, Illinois
Farmersburg, Indiana
Dubuque, Iowa
Barbourville, Kentucky
Carlisle, Kentucky
Frankfort, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Tompkinsville, Kentucky
Baton Rouge, Louisiana(2 reports)
Deridder, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
Roseland, Louisiana
Zachary, Louisiana
South China, Maine
Midland, Maryland
Bridgewater, Massachusetts
Upton, Massachusetts
Rogers, Minnesota
Saint Cloud, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Cleveland, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Lincoln, Nebraska
Norfolk, Nebraska
Brigantine, New Jersey
Mount Laurel, New Jersey(2 reports)
Vincentown, New Jersey
Roswell, New Mexico
Albany, New York
Ithaca, New York
Port Washington, New York
Putnam Valley, New York
West Islip, New York
Charlotte, North Carolina
Clemmons, North Carolina
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Garner, North Carolina
Columbus, Ohio
Madison, Ohio
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Yukon, Oklahoma
Brookings, Oregon
Harbor, Oregon
Mill City, Oregon
Tangent, Oregon
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Houston, Pennsylvania
Lansdowne, Pennsylvania
Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
Charleston, South Carolina
Conway, South Carolina
Lancaster, South Carolina
North Augusta, South Carolina
Hixson, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Austin, Texas(2 reports)
Copperas Cove, Texas
Denison, Texas
Devine, Texas
Hallettsville, Texas
Harker Heights, Texas
Houston, Texas(3 reports)
Lufkin, Texas
Richmond, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Seadrift, Texas
Spring, Texas
Doswell, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Verona, Virginia
Bellevue, Washington
Brinnon, Washington
Chewelah, Washington
Kalama, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Port Orchard, Washington
Woodinville, Washington
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
---|---|
Positive | On Apr 26, 2018, tranquilityva from Doswell, VA wrote: I live in central va just west of I-95-piedmont area and zone 6b to 7a. I planted these in a container with coleus and a small semi-woody. They were just wonderful in the fall, about Sept they bloomed for almost 2 months. They have long glad type of leaves so were nice in the arrangement even out of bloom. The woody didn't do well as everything else covered it up! |
Positive | On Jan 17, 2018, Jules17 from Galloway, OH wrote: Pretty flowers. The flowers seem to last longer than normal gladiolus. I did deadhead the spent blooms not sure if that pro-longed the boom period. Downside is digging them up for the winter here in my zone 6. Here is what they look like in my garden |
Positive | On Feb 1, 2017, daisygirl_01 from Port Orchard, WA wrote: My Peacock Orchids just fully opened (planted in March) on November 15th back in 2015 in our wet and mostly mild climate here in Washington State in the Pacific Northwest region. |
Neutral | On Jun 15, 2014, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote: The flowers are indeed beautiful. More graceful and more natural looking than florist glads, they mix better with other plants in the garden. |
Positive | On Jun 14, 2014, sladeofsky from Louisville, KY (Zone 6b) wrote: These have a nice fragrance. I think they are a bit hardier than zone 7. I left mine in the ground last year and after an extremely long and cold Winter, they have returned. |
Positive | On Aug 18, 2013, httpmom from Livermore, CA (Zone 9b) wrote: Here in 9b Livermore, CA these beauties grow without support and bloom in Mid Summer till Fall. I spaced the bulbs close together in groups of three and they seem to give each other support. They stay in the ground all year and even weathered out our 2 week winter freeze this past year. I have them in two spots. One full sun and another in bright dappled sun. They seem to be happy in either condition and are naturalizing just as I had hoped. It's so nice to have a blooming bulb in late summer as opposed to having it all happening in the spring. |
Neutral | On Apr 18, 2013, CharSC92 from Charleston, SC wrote: So far neutral since I just received the bulbs in the mail from American Meadows. I'm pretty excited about getting started planting them, and not sure whether 4 or 6 inches deep would be better. I don't want to stake them but can do so if need be. |
Positive | On Apr 9, 2012, Sandwichkatexan from Copperas Cove, TX wrote: I dug up about 50 of these from my moms flowerbed . She gave them to me because they were overcrowding the tight flowerbed they were in . Mine have been in the ground now for about 4 years and I have them growing through a red Texas star hibiscus and they grow through the stems and when they flower the hibiscus keeps them upright . They are fragrant but much more so at dusk . My only gripe is the ants seem to like the flowers and they always have a small mound in that spot . |
Positive | On Oct 27, 2011, betcsbirds from Washington, IL wrote: Planted a package of these in early summer in Washington IL (zone 5a)..they did beautifully! I planted them in a bed that surrounds 2 sides of a large metal utility box in front of 2 feather reed grasses and also alongside some red canna. In front of the glads I have some blue asters and then several colors of verbena in the front. Turned out to be a nice looking garden! just dug them up to overwinter in my basement and loved the huge number of teeny bulbs that had developed. I think I'll plant them in pots in January or so and get them going early. |
Positive | On Jan 4, 2011, gardenkim from West Hollywood, CA wrote: I planted a dozen corms in a dryish spot two years ago -- and only got leaves the first year. I divided the set and moved half to a second site. Both sets have bloomed this year -- they started just before Christmas, and I have cut flowers in my office right now. I think the aroma is delctable, but not everyone can smell them. I think I will have blooms for a couple more weeks. What a winter treat. |
Neutral | On Sep 5, 2010, LemongrassLover from Spring, TX wrote: I have this plant for 3 years in z.9a, Spring, TX. I grew it from bulbs. They need very little care, just water. It grows back in late spring. I give it neutral because when it flowers you have to stake it and the leaves get brown spots easily. |
Positive | On Nov 14, 2009, Julie55 from Lonaconing, MD wrote: I grow these indoors as a potted plant. They have always done wonderful for me. I get a good number of offset bulbs & seperate them when my flowers have finished blooming each year. Plus I self pollinate these each season, only a few at a time, as I usually have to remove the bloom to do so & have had many viable seeds produced from doing so. |
Positive | On Oct 11, 2009, Ralla from Venlo, It's a very pretty plant with successive flowers from mid July to mid September (at least in the south of the Netherlands). It grows up to 100cm height in a wind-protected but sunny spot in the garden. As it is not frost resistant I will have to take it out in autumn. |
Neutral | On Jun 3, 2009, MavisFlowers from Lufkin, TX (Zone 8a) wrote: Pretty plant and it is fragrant but I have not had real success with these after the first season. They do well the first year but don't return or fail to flower much afterwards. Although I have purchased them from both Wal-Mart & Old House Gardens, I had similar results. |
Positive | On Jul 8, 2008, Palonias from Brigantine, NJ wrote: I am in Brigantine NJ next to Atlantic City - (on the bay) and I love these plants in my garden. I mulch very well, and leave my bulbs in the ground. They have come back for four year now and get better and better each year. The face south and get full hot sun most of the time. They are mixed with a wide variety of other incredible plants, but they are one of my centerpieces! Even if you have to dig up the bulbs each year, they are worth all the effort! |
Positive | On Jun 11, 2008, ifonly from Brookfield, CT wrote: This is such an elegant plant - well worth having to plant each year (or dig up before winter) in my CT garden. |
Neutral | On Mar 27, 2008, kittycat2 from Moss Point, MS wrote: I have never grown this plant and am wondering if it makes a good cut flower. With its fragrance, it should be great! |
Positive | On Jan 9, 2008, NorthernSeasons from Bozeman, MT (Zone 4b) wrote: I have spent six months trying to figure out what this plant was. No one knew. I now know why. Gladiolus callianthus is an annual in Zone 3-4 where I live. It is incredibly beautiful. |
Positive | On Sep 4, 2007, goofybulb from Richland, MI (Zone 5b) wrote: My story with the Abyssinian gladiolus is kind of funny (to me!!!), so I'm going to share it with you. |
Neutral | On Jan 7, 2007, vossner from East Texas, Rating it neutral because I find it hard to "read". Purchased bulbs from WM and got some in trade, they have grown lots of green in the 2-3 years I've had them, but flowered very poorly. However, blooms are beautiful and the scent absolutely heavenly. I keep hoping that the problem has been that I started with very immature bulbs and that eventually I'll have the displays I've seen in catalogs. |
Positive | On Oct 10, 2006, berrygirl from Braselton, GA (Zone 8a) wrote: Totally care-free plant. The fragrance is heavenly, IMO! They aren't fazed by our GA heat or drought. |
Positive | On Sep 27, 2006, TheTomato from Lincoln, NE (Zone 5b) wrote: This was my first year growing these plants, and they are now among my favorites. They grow very quickly, and have a very long bloom time. I had a few early bloomers start around the end of July, and it is now the last week in September and I still have at least seven in bloom. |
Negative | On May 6, 2006, dmj1218 from west Houston, TX (Zone 9a) wrote: I give it a negative because its pretty invasive here--I've finally cleared it all off the property (I think, or hope anyway). |
Positive | On Oct 16, 2005, mks5958 from Cross Plains, WI wrote: Having checked out local botanical gardens last fall, I planted well over 100 of these in a single site this past spring hoping they would be blooming for my daughter's wedding which was to be held at my home on October 8. Our summer was rough - very hot, with draught conditions, and I did water regularly. Although they were past their prime for the wedding, probably due in part to the hot summer, I found them extremely easy to grow. I planted them in full blazing sun with only minimum protection from the wind. Even there, they needed no staking, and they bloomed for weeks and weeks, providing a fantastic show planted en masse as they were. The 25' x 12' foot garden area where they were used contained the Gladiolus callianthus and only two companion plants - Pennisetum Hameln and white Gau... read more |
Positive | On Sep 21, 2005, RobD_SC from Columbia, SC (Zone 8a) wrote: Massing acidanthera at the back of a border is a good idea. The strappy leaves can look floppy and unpleasant without other foliage to contrast with/support it. This year I planted most of my corms in my herb garden. It looked good with my sweet basil and parsley. I have had success growing the offset cormels in containers for a year before planting out in beds. |
Positive | On Jul 11, 2005, Purple_Pansies from Lincroft, NJ (Zone 7a) wrote: Easy to grow. Bulbs should be lifted in cold winter areas. Blossoms are pretty. Nice shape. And pretty color a white with a blackish/burgundy center. Very interesting combination. Strappy leaves. The scent is nice but not showstopping. (not in the league of tuberose) it is a light "clean" scent similar to moonflower. Smells somewhat like a modern perfume. Not worth growing just for the scent. But a nice flower nonetheless. :) |
Positive | On Nov 23, 2004, 8ftbed from Zion, IL (Zone 5a) wrote: I've grown them in the ground and in pots but not had the 48" height. The more sun the more blooms. |
Positive | On Oct 31, 2004, msbobolink from Tompkinsville, KY wrote: I picked up corms for this flower from a display. I knew nothing about them when I bought them but looked them up on the internet and discovered that they wouldn't survive the winter here in Kentucky so I planted them in a large pot and sat them in a spot that was pretty shady until the tree that shaded them blew down in a storm and then they got several hours of sunlight, but not all day. I think every corm turned into a blooming machine-they got more comments from visitors than anything else in the garden. They bloomed longer than I would have ever believed. I just took up the corms today...before frost, but the tops were mostly dead except for a few that had come up recently. Where I had planted a few corms I now have dozens...I can see why others have said they multiply easily. |
Neutral | On Aug 26, 2004, dahlia_lover from Bartow, FL (Zone 9b) wrote: bought mine as a pack of 15...have about half of them planted out in full sun, the other half planted in pots or window boxes...those didn't last long.the ones plants out in full sun are near a crape myrtle and some of them bloom and some don't. i may move them to another location once they get done blooming i think they will look batter planted in a mass rather than in the circle like i have them now. |
Positive | On Jun 18, 2004, BUFFY690 from Prosperity, SC (Zone 7b) wrote: I bought one package of 12 corms this spring then I looked them up on the internet and read that they multiply quickly. So I figured I would try them out in two places I put 6 at my grandmother's house and they get most day sun but are against a wall and protected from wind and late afternoon sun they are doing great and already blooming, i planted mine in full sun and they grew up about half of what hers did and stopped, no blooms no further growth, I think I am going to move them to a place where they get a litttle shade in the afternoon next year. They are a really beautiful flowers though and they would go well with my garua seeing as they look like a big butterfly and the gaura looks like hundreds of Teeny Tiny ones. I will try these again next year. |
Neutral | On Mar 26, 2004, Monocromatico from Rio de Janeiro, This african Iris is suitable for subtropical climates, tolerating light frosts and moderate heat. |
Neutral | On Oct 10, 2003, soilsandup from Sacramento, CA (Zone 9a) wrote: I planted some corms about 5 years ago. Because they mulitply so freely, I separated the corms and spaced them in 4-5 different areas of my garden that have varying amounts of sun and water. I have had very sporadic luck with blooms - 2 yrs out of 5 so far. Last year I had some good areas of bloom; this year, all blooms in all spots were deformed,discolored, and looked insect/pest ravaged. One note of caution - it is nearly impossible to get rid of this plant once you have it planted. It is a good souce of color in the late summer so I have not totally given up on it. |
Neutral | On Sep 10, 2003, SueP64 from Centerbrook, CT wrote: I have grown these plants two years in a row now. They definitely need more sun than I can give them. The first year the grew in part sun/shade and I had two plants bloom. The blossoms are gorgeous and fragrant. They were only about 36" tall. In the fall I dug them up and stored them indoors (not winter hardy above zone 7) This spring I got them in the ground late, planted in a brighter spot and waited. They took a while but then grew and grew to about 48", much taller than I had planned. They dominate my hibiscus and block the light to my caryopteris. I had three plants flower this time and all the offsets from last years corms grew to about 18" These may take some time to mature. Next year I move them once again to a newly opened spot in almost full sun. Keeping my fingers crossed this t... read more |
Neutral | On Aug 28, 2003, Earthmover from Putnam Valley, NY (Zone 6a) wrote: I planted these under the assumption that they would be 24-36" high. The plants are now taller than my six year old at about 48". The blooms look the same as the picture. I wonder if you can move the corms to a different location from where they were originally planted. |
Positive | On Jul 6, 2003, joepluto from Boston, MA wrote: beautiful :) |
Positive | On May 16, 2003, S_Haffner from Stratford, CT wrote: I tend to experiment with any type of plant that has the slightest chance of growing in my Zone (6b), so I gave the Acidanthera a try. |
Positive | On Sep 2, 2002, bmuller from Albuquerque, NM (Zone 7a) wrote: I was surprised by the length of bloom time for this gladiolus. It began blooming in July-August and is still blooming (though tapering off) in September. The fragrance is wonderful; the white stars are nice as they peep through the brighter blossoms of nearby plants. I don't yet know about hardiness in my Zone 7, high desert garden; this is the first year I've planted these. |
Neutral | On Aug 8, 2001, killerdaisy from Dallas, TX (Zone 8a) wrote: Beautiful fragrance. It is cold-hardy in zones 7-11; in colder zones, dig up corms and store at 60°-68° F. |