code: 819
it thrives in wet meadows and similar damp situations
Family: Iridaceae
Common name: Marsh gladiolus, Sword Lily
Plant Classification: Hardy bulb Hardy perennial
Minimum Height: 40 cm
Maximum Height: 60 cm
Packet Content(approx.): 15
This charming, relatively small Gladiolus open bright spikes of rose-wine flowers with delicately-marked, noticeably split-apart petals, in spring and summer. Completely winter hardy in Central Europe, it thrives in wet meadows and similar damp situations.
Sowing advice:
Sow seeds at any time covering them with compost or grit 5mm deep, keeping the seed pot in a cool, well-lit spot outdoors. Artificial heat is not needed and can prevent germination so be very patient as many species will only germinate in the spring after chilling or freezing in the moist seed tray in the winter. Grow on individual seedlings in small pots until of sufficient size to be potted on or planted out into the open ground.
Distribution:
This species is native of Central and NW Europe. It occurs in eastern France, Switzerland, in southern and eastern Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. It is present in the Italian Alps, Austria and Hungary and more common in the Balkan region. Other locations are in Eastern Europe.
Habitat:
These plants do not grow in marshes, as they prefer calcareous, moist and humus rich environments alternately wet and dry, in wet meadows and forest clearings. They can be found at a maximum altitude of 1,200–1,500 metres (3,900–4,900 ft).
