About 260, see text Gladiolus (from Latin, the diminutive of gladius, a sword[2]) is a genus of perennial cormous flowering plants in the iris family (Iridaceae).

[6] Gladioli grow from round, symmetrical corms[7] (similar to crocuses) that are enveloped in several layers of brownish, fibrous tunics.

This three-level surface structure enables the leaf to shed rainfall droplets in a unidirectional manner due to anisotropic superhydrophobicity features, as reported by Mahesh C. Dubey et al. [9] The flowers of unmodified wild species vary from very small to perhaps 40 mm across, and inflorescences bearing anything from one to several flowers.

[13] In the temperate zones of Europe many of the hybrid large flowering sorts of gladiolus can be pollinated by small well-known wasps.

Another insect in this zone which can try some of the nectar of the gladioli is the best-known European Hawk-moth Macroglossum stellatarum which usually pollinates many popular garden flowers like Petunia, Zinnia, Dianthus and others.

[14] Gladioli are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Large Yellow Underwing,[15] and gladiolus thrips.

[11] In temperate zones, the corms of most species and hybrids should be lifted in autumn and stored over winter in a frost-free place, then replanted in spring.

Some species from Europe and high altitudes in Africa, as well as the small 'Nanus' hybrids, are much hardier (to at least −26 °C or −15 °F) and can be left in the ground in regions with sufficiently dry winters.

The large-flowered types require moisture during the growing season, and must be individually staked as soon as the sword-shaped flower heads appear.