On 15 Oct 2012, at 12:33, Hans-Werner Hammen wrote: > I read some suggestion, this Gadiolus be infected by Virus. Allthough many > plants might carry Viruses latently, the color pattern does NOT indicate > Mosaic-Virus. The typical SHARP transitions of Mosaic, are absent. The fliowers > of your Gladiolus are beautiful, and there is actually some sophisticated > Gladiolus Hybrids, that show this beautiful kind of dark streaks. Who ever is > fast, to conclude Mosaic, Look for Gladiolus grandiflora 'Passos'rather than > implanting frustration, into other people's Heart. No one said it was a *mosaic* virus. I wrote "The streaking on the petals looks suspiciously like a virus infection." Alberto Castillo wrote "Looks like a heavily virused Gladiolus garnieri." Janos Agoston wrote "I think it is some virus." You will note that all three of us pointed to virus infection as a possibility, not an established fact, in this case. A reminder too that the beautiful flaming and streaking of parrot tulips is due to "Tulip Breaking Virus". I wonder if, like parrot tulips, those "sophisticated gladiolus hybrids that show this beautiful kind of dark streaks" of which you write owe their beauty to a virus infection. After all the widespread occurence of this gladiolus in northern Italy is prima facie evidence that the putative virus does not weaken this species of gladiolus. It would be irresponsible for those of us who responded to have remained silent, even if we had to bear potentially bad news. Wouldn't the OP have been even more frustrated if he brought this gladiolus into his garden and as a result lost his more delicate species to it? -- Rodger Whitlock Victoria, British Columbia, Canada Z. 7-8, cool Mediterranean climate