Cornflag
Gladiolus dalenii
- Native to:
- Angola, Benin, Burkina, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan-South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Timothy A. Gonsalves
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Iridaceae
- Genus:
- Gladiolus
- Species:
- Gladiolus dalenii
- USDA Symbol:
- GLDA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- red, orange, yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- hummingbirds, butterflies
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Native to African grasslands where fire is common; corms resprout vigorously after fire.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- well-drained, sandy to loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- native to grasslands and rocky slopes
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 14–30 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best at warm temperatures around 20-25°C. Typically propagated from corms rather than seed.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
ORGHPS Germination Guide: Sow @ 20C. Germinates within 3 months.