• Image of Gladiolus communis ssp. byzantinus 'Cruentus'|Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC|JLBG

    Photo by JLBG taken at Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC

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Gladiolus communis ssp. byzantinus 'Cruentus'

Cruentus Corn Flag

This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

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Item #: 5857

Zones: 6a to 9b, at least

Dormancy: Summer, Fall

Height: 24" tall

Culture: Sun to Part Sun

Origin: Mediterranean Europe

Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


(aka: Gladiolus byzantinus) We are pleased to again offer the old-fashioned Gulf Coast pass-along gladiolus. The 2' tall spikes of intensely tacky, fluorescent cerise-red flowers top the late-January emerging foliage from late April through early May...a feast for early season hummingbirds. The European Gladiolus 'Cruentus', not to be confused with the African Gladiolus cruentus, could be classified as a spring ephemeral since the entire clump is dormant by late spring...be sure to mark the spot when planting summer growers nearby. We tried to find a matching RHS color code with no luck...obviously royal taste doesn't allow this color in the old UK. Its drought-tolerance, winter hardiness, and ease of culture are legendary!

The true Gladiolus communis ssp. byzantinus 'Cruentus' used to be only available as a pass-along plant, handed from one lucky gardener to another. Bulb vendors often sell a Gladiolus under this name but what they send is a very disappointing slender little scrap of a thing, probably Gladiolus italicus, and not worth the money spent on it. So buy this when you have a chance to buy the real deal. With a sunny spot and normal drainage this Glad should get better every year. Divide clumps when they get crowded and replant, perhaps every 3 to 5 years. It's an early bloomer, blooming with bearded iris and peonies. It's much shorter than the florist Gladiolus and nearly always manages to stand up on its own.