Gardening in Spain Acidanthera

SANTA POLA SALINAS

La Mata Natural Park

Acidanthera

is a summer flower so fragrant, exotic-looking and lovely that it defies logic. No rare pearl of great price, this summer bloomer is affordable, readily available and practically idiot-proof to grow.

One thing that is not so simple is what to call it. Officially, the flower is now called Gladiolus callianthus or Gladiolus callianthus murielae. They were formally known as Acidanthera bicolor or Acidanthera murielae but recently, through botanical DNA testing, they realized they are actually Gladiolus and put them back with the Gladiolus family. Of course, you do not need to know any of that to grow them in your garden, but they are still often sold or described under the Acidanthera synonyms. Popular common names include Abyssinian Gladiolus, Sword Lily, Peacock Orchid, Abyssinian Star, and Fragrant Gladiolus.

It is odd, actually, that Acidanthera should land a home in the Gladiolus family for it bears so little resemblance to this more famous flower relation. Where the Glad is somewhat stiff and upright, Acidanthera is loose and bobbing. You might think of Acidanthera as the Glad family's renegade cousin. But, whatever you call them it was clearly more difficult to name these beauties than it is to grow them!

A bulb with beautiful intentions

Acidanthera is a bulb. Not a hardy bulb like a spring-blooming tulip or daffodil, but a tender summer (tropical) bulb that blooms in late summer and fall. They are also antique, having first been introduced to ecstatic gardeners in 1896.

Acidanthera is heavenly in the garden or as a large container plant. This South African native is known for its starry blooms and delicious scent, useful for upgrading a bouquet from simply beautiful to a sensory delight. The white flowers with purple throats spring from narrow stems and open one at a time, extending the blooming period. Slender foliage completes the slim form, allowing these (like Glads), to take up little square footage. Especially useful in small or tightly planted gardens.

Acidanthera is a perennial that thrives in maximum heat and sunlight, but needs a fairly sheltered location away from the wind. A sunny growing area with light well-drained soil is best.

Plant them in clusters for best effect and be sure to plant them along borders or close to the house, deck, or balcony - anywhere their wonderful fragrance can be enjoyed on a warm summer evening. Planting them in clusters also provides excellent protection against the wind, as the stems, upon reaching their full height of 2-3 feet, will give each other support.

Plant the bulbs at a depth of 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 inches) and about the double spacing in between. The plants require regular watering during the growing season and appreciate a monthly feed of liquid fertilizer. After flowering, like with other bulbs: Allow the plants to die back to pull all of the nutrients back out of the leaves. When the leaves turn yellow, you can cut them down.

Since it comes from a tropical climate, Acidanthera is frost-sensitive. It is a common garden flower in Western European gardens, where the bulbs are lifted and stored frost-free in the winter season because the species is not hardy there. But here on the Costa you can just leave them in the ground to form abundant clumps.

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