Gladiolus scabridus

Quick Characteristics:

Gladiolus scabridus is restricted to the mountains of northern KwaZulu-Natal and southern Swaziland where it grows at elevations of 1000 to 2000 m in well-drained, rocky habitats. Flowering from December to late January at lower elevations into February at cooler, wetter sites, it has an erect spike of 10 to 16 flowers. The unscented long tubed flowers are bright pink with a narrow white longitudinal zone in the lower two thirds and a narrow reddish streak in the midline. Photo taken by Rachel Saunders in KwaZulu-Natal January 2015.