The original Gladiolus × colvillii was bred by the nurseryman James Colville of Chelsea, London from the southern African species G. tristis and G. cardinalis and first described in 1823; it is still cultivated.

[1] It has deep pink flowers with a cream stripe on each of the lower three tepals.

In 1826 James Colville put on sale a white form with pale pink anthers known as G. colvillii alba.

In 1871, a completely white sport with the same parentage was described: G. colvillii 'The Bride'.

The Colvillei group of Gladiolus now includes many small (to about 40 cm tall) spring-flowering cultivars with flowers from white to pink or orange-red.