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Gladioli, a flower variety with perhaps a somewhat corny and stiff image. Completely unjustified, but unknown makes unloved! The days of just yellow, red and orange gladioli are long gone. Not only has the colour palette expanded considerably, so has the diversity of shapes and shades. And the gladiolus' unique characteristics complete its versatility.

So what makes the gladiolus so versatile?

Gladioli originated in South Africa, where they were eaten and used as medicine. And in Roman times, gladiators literally fought in the arena for death or gladioli. The winning gladiator was buried under gladioli. Versatile even then. Nowadays all the more so, and the gladiolus owes this to its unique characteristics:

Summer vibes
Summer vigour and allure ‘in the spotlight’! A colourful and proud summer bloomer, the gladiolus creates an instant summer feeling in your home and garden. And thanks to their unique long shape, they add an extra dimension to your bouquet and border. You really steal the show with a vase of large-flowered gladioli on your sideboard or kitchen table.

-Decorative
With blooms on both sides of the stem, the gladiolus is highly decorative. A spent lower flower(s) or a somewhat drooping tip of the spike are no reasons to get rid of your gladioli. Give them some fresh water or shorten them to fill another vase.

Shine bride!
When her flowers are in full bloom, the gladiolus is the eye-catcher in your vase. Like the bride, it will shine on the wedding day! Its long vase life also makes the gladiolus eminently suitable for (multi-day) summer events.

Metamorphosis
A gladiolus goes through an incredible metamorphosis, from inconspicuous green sprite to centrepiece in every bouquet and garden as the flowers open up piece by piece. And to think that the colour of the bud certainly does not always reveal the colour(s) of the flower, making it a real surprise when the flower opens. Surprise!

Weatherproof, sustainable and cultural

The gladiolus was also called love flower, as a sign of love at first sight: with one stitch, the flower can touch a heart in love. Besides its aesthetic character, the gladiolus is also versatile due to the following characteristics:

– Weather-resistant
A sturdy stem and grown entirely outdoors. This makes the gladiolus a robust and weather-resistant flower that can take a beating. And that is fully in line with the gladiolus’ heroic meaning. The name comes from the Latin gladius, meaning sword. The flower stands for strength, victory and pride. A true hero!

– Local & sustainable
The gladiolus is grown outdoors, close to the market. So the flower growers use natural lighting (the sun!) and little transport is needed. Also sustainable: the gladiolus is a real bee and insect magnet. You will see bees constantly flying off and on when the gladioli are in bloom. Bee happy!

– Cultural significance
From stately and long-blooming funeral flower to colourful stunner for festive ceremonies like birthdays, christenings and weddings. For honouring ancestors on a Vietnamese altar or on the Day of the Dead. Culturally, the long vase life and length of the gladiolus also offers a versatility of preferences and uses.

The wonderful world of the gladiolus

Unknown makes unloved we wrote in the introduction. Now that you have been immersed in the wonderful world of the gladiolus’ unique characteristics, its versatility and thus its (aesthetic) appeal can no longer be denied.

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