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About

Gladiolus × colvillei 'Impressive' is a cormous perennial in the iris family with upright, unbranched stems and narrow, sword-shaped leaves. It develops from round, symmetrical corms wrapped in fibrous tunics. In the UK it flowers from July to September. The plant's vertical habit provides clear architectural lines in summer planting.

About the genus

Gladiolus is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae).

Wikipedia contributors, "Gladiolus", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Gladiolus

In the garden

Gladiolus × colvillei 'Impressive' belongs to the genus Gladiolus (family Iridaceae), a group of perennial, cormous plants whose wild relatives occur across Asia, Mediterranean Europe and Africa, with the greatest diversity centred in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region. As a member of this genus it grows from round, symmetrical corms covered by layers of fibrous tunics and typically produces an unbranched stem bearing a sequence of narrow, longitudinally grooved leaves. Cultivation starts with the corms as the perennial storage organ; these supply the energy for the season’s upright shoots and leaves. Individual stems carry the foliage and later the summer flowers, so siting where the vertical stems can be seen without crowding brings out the plant’s form. Flowers are produced in the UK from July to September, providing mid- to late-summer interest. Use Gladiolus × colvillei 'Impressive' where an upright element is required — as a vertical accent at the rear of a summer border or among lower-growing perennials that reveal its stem and foliage. Its corm-based habit also makes it straightforward to lift or divide where borders are reworked, and its seasonal flowering concentrates colour and form in the mid-to-late summer months.

More in the Gladiolus genus

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