Summer-Growing Gladiolus

The greatest diversity of Gladiolus species occurs in the Western Cape of South Africa, where they are summer-dormant and grow during winter rains. However, approximately 40% of the species are from summer rainfall regions in eastern South Africa, tropical Africa and Eurasia. The florists' glads are derived from several of these species, but few others are commonly grown.

The following is a list of summer-growing Gladiolus species, based primarily on Gladiolus in Southern Africa and Gladiolus in Tropical Africa, following the classification of the former. Cameron McMaster wrote an article about the South African summer rainfall species for Farmers Weekly in 2008. Gladiolus gueinzii, Gladiolus permeabilis ssp. permeabilis and Gladiolus saccatus are winter-rainfall species that range into summer-rainfall areas where they grow in summer.