About Gladiolus italicus Mill.
Gladiolus italicus Mill. is a gladiolus species commonly known as Italian gladiolus, field gladiolus, and common sword-lily. It is native to most of Eurasia and North Africa, but it has become widely established on other continents, where it is a common weed that grows especially in cultivated fields and waste areas. This perennial plant produces an erect stem that can reach up to nearly one meter in maximum height, with a few long leaves growing around its base. A spike-shaped inflorescence that holds spaced-apart flowers develops on the upper half of the mostly unbranched stem. A single plant can produce up to 15 to 16 flowers. The flowers are bright pink to magenta, measure several centimeters long, and have stamens and a style that protrude from the flower throat. The fruit is a capsule around one centimeter long that contains many seeds.
