Quick Characteristics:
| Flower Colors: | red |
| Climate: | winter rain climate |
Gladiolus cardinalis Curtis grows on wet cliffs and waterfalls in the southwestern Cape area of South Africa where the corms are wedged into cracks in the rocks where they are protected. Corms and roots must be constantly wet. This species flowers in the driest time of the year in midsummer (mid December to mid January), and is pollinated by the mountain pride butterfly. It is often found growing together with Disa uniflora, an orchid pollinated by the same butterfly. Growing from 55 to 90 cm tall, it has bright red flowers with white spear-shaped marks. This very beautiful species was one of the parents of modern day hybrids. The first photo was taken by Rod Saunders. The second photo from Rachel Saunders was taken January 2013 where it grows in a waterfall that plunges down the side of the mountain off a cliff that is probably 500 m high.
