Gladiolus grandiflorus Amiga - Sword Lily

Gladiolus 'Amiga' is a large-flowered gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus) remarkable for its long stems adorned with large red corollas, with slightly ruffled petals. Planted in groups, it structures sunny borders with its well-defined, vertical flowering stems. Its robust stems make this gladiolus an excellent cut flower, prized for its vase life. In a contemporary or more classic garden, it adds a very clear architectural and colourful touch.

Belonging to the group of Gladiolus grandiflorus hybrids, this summer bulb is classified among the large gladioli, characterised by tall flowering stems bearing large funnel-shaped flowers. It is a plant from the Iridaceae family that develops from a corm, an underground storage organ that renews itself each year. The plant forms an upright, vertical clump reaching 90 to 120 cm in height. Its deciduous foliage is composed of long, tapering, ribbon-like, bright green leaves which dry out completely after flowering: the vegetation then disappears and the corm goes dormant. The spikes bear numerous flowers 8 to 10 cm in diameter, with slightly crinkled tepals, in bright red tones. Flowering occurs from July to September, depending on the planting date. Not very hardy, this 'Amiga' gladiolus is grown as a perennial to be overwintered: the corms should be lifted at the end of the season in regions with cold, wet winters.
The name Gladiolus comes from the Latin gladius, meaning sword; in ancient Rome, victorious gladiators were covered with gladioli, hence the enduring association with strength and victory.

In the garden, Gladiolus 'Amiga' is best placed at the back of a border or along the edge of an ornamental kitchen garden, planted in small groups of 5 to 10 bulbs to create a colourful swathe. It pairs wonderfully with the almost black Dahlia ‘Karma Choc’, which brings out its warm tones, or with apple-green Coneflower ‘Green Jewel’ for a very modern contrast. Buenos Aires Vervain ‘Lollipop’ will surround its stems with a cloud of lavender flowers, while Panicum virgatum ‘Rehbraun’ will take over at the end of the season with its brown-red plumes. In a vase, combine a few stems of Amiga with spikes of Salvia ‘Amistad violet’ for powerful and contemporary cut flower arrangements, both bold and elegant. 
For cut flower arrangements, cut the stems as soon as the first floret begins to open. Plant gladioli every two weeks, from early spring until the end of June, to enjoy them all summer long, both at home and in the garden.