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Gladiolus murielae

Abyssinian Gladiolus · Acidanthera · Peacock Gladiolus

Family IridaceaeGenus Gladiolus

Also published as Acidanthera bicolor. You are in the right place.

A white six-pointed flower with a deep maroon center
FlowerPeter Forster from Centobuchi, ItalyCC BY-SA 2.0

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

The plant

Habit
Bulb, Herbaceous Perennial, PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
tuberous geophytePlants of the World Online
Height
2-3 ft60-90 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Spread
1-1.5 ft30-45 cmExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Flower
Gold/Yellow, Red/Burgundy, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Fall, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Burundi, Chad, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, TanzaniaGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
7-10Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good Drainage, Occasionally WetExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Long known as Acidanthera bicolor. Its English names include fragrant gladiolus, peacock gladiolus and Abyssinian gladiolus. Wikipedia: Gladiolus murielae

This source reports three treatments. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around January 18, 2027 for a May 3 last frost.

  1. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: either

No stated waiting before sowing. Then 77 days to germinate.

60% germination in 14–77 days.

Light and GA-3 made no difference to the rate. Germination is hypogeal.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Acidanthera p. 86Public domain
Show the original text
Acidanthera (Iridaceae). A. bicolor germ. 70 (60% in 2-11 w), 40-70(10%)- 40-70(30%), and 45% in May in outdoor treatment starting March 1. Light and GA-3 had no effect on the rate of germination. Germination was hypogeal.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Acidanthera p. 86. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

  1. Sow outdoors and leave it

No stated waiting before sowing.

45% germination.

Sown outdoors on March 1; germination came in May.

This source doesn't state how long step 1 lasts.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Acidanthera p. 86Public domain
Show the original text
A. bicolor germ. 70 (60% in 2-11 w), 40-70(10%)- 40-70(30%), and 45% in May in outdoor treatment starting March 1.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Acidanthera p. 86. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1993

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  2. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

    10% germinated here.

  3. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  4. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

about 9 months from start to step 4. Germination happens during step 4; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

30% germination.

Starting at 40 spreads germination over four cycles: 10% in the first cycle at 70, then 30% in the second.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed. — N. C. Deno, 1993 · Ch. 20, Acidanthera p. 86Public domain
Show the original text
Acidanthera (Iridaceae). A. bicolor germ. 70 (60% in 2-11 w), 40-70(10%)- 40-70(30%), and 45% in May in outdoor treatment starting March 1. Starting the seeds at 40 caused the germination to extend over four cycles.
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd ed., Ch. 20, Acidanthera p. 86. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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