Gladiolus Green Star - Sword Lily

The 'Green Star' Gladiolus, with its large fringed flowers in lime green to chartreuse, is a star in sunny flower beds and a must-have for homemade bouquets. Its combination with plum, violet, or blue flowers is elegant and tasteful. The stems are strong, sturdy, and covered with numerous buds. We deliver them in a large size 14+ for the best flowering.

The cultivated gladiolus, belonging to the iris family, are hybrids. They are divided into three main groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus (early blooming), and Nanus (butterfly). 'Green Star' belongs to the Grandiflorus group. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with broad sword-shaped leaves arranged in a fan shape, forming a clump that can reach 1 metre (3 feet) in height. The leaves are topped by a spike-like inflorescence, with funnel-shaped flowers that are 10 cm (4in) long, carried by strong stems. The flowers have an intermediate shade between green and yellow, a lime-washed colour, with particularly fringed petals. The storage organ is a corm, a swollen stem with scales.

Gladiolus and their long, colourful spikes symbolise the 70s and somewhat formal floral arrangements. While they are irreplaceable in bouquets and gardens, their silhouette needs the presence of plants with lush foliage to enhance their abundant yet romantically beautiful flowering. Plant them in groups in beds with sage, tobacco, willowherb, and bee balm or in the company of carnations and forget-me-nots to create colourful mixtures. They are commonly found in herb gardens, which accompany vegetables, even in the vegetable patch. Cut the flower spikes for making bouquets when the first floret starts to open. Plant them at intervals of two weeks from early spring until the end of June to flower in the house and garden all summer.

The gladiolus gets its name from the shape of its sword-like leaves, derived from the Latin word gladius. Its wild forms were often depicted in jewellery or on carpets and fabrics made by the Semites before the Christian era.