Gladiolus x grandiflorus Olympic Flame - Sword Lily

The Gladiolus 'Olympic Flame' is a tall variety, ideal for mid or back of borders, or large borders. Its flowers bloom in summer in a fairly soft orange hue, slightly bleached in places, beautifully lit by a yellow throat. The petals are finely plicate, undulating at the edge. The stems are strong, stout, covered with numerous buds. As graceful as they are bright, the floral spikes also create beautiful arrangements in bouquets.

Originating from Africa, Europe, the Middle East, belonging to the Iridaceae family, the most colourful Gladiolus species come from South Africa. Cultivated gladioli are hybrids with large flowers, divided into 3 main groups: Grandiflorus (large-flowered), Primulinus, and Nanus (butterflies). 'Olympic Flame' is part of the Grandiflorus group. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with corms (globose bulbs), broad sword-shaped leaves, arranged fan-shaped, forming a clump of approximately 1.10 to 1.40 m in flower height, depending on growing conditions. The leaves are topped by a spike inflorescence with funnel-shaped flowers 8-9 cm wide, arranged unilaterally, almost all on the same side of the floral stem. The 6 tepals (or undifferentiated petals) are slightly undulate.

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