How to Pick Acidanthera Bulbs

Video Transcript

"Hi this is Yolanda Vanveen for Expert Village. There are lots of different types of gladiolas and one of my favorite types is the gladiolas merillat which I have always called Acidanthera. It is a beautiful fragrant gladiolas from South Africa as well and it is just a beautiful, beautiful plant that grows native in the mountains of Southern South Africa near the cape and they have a beautiful white flower with kind of a burgundy throat and because they are so exotic looking they are also called a peacock orchid but they are not an orchid in any way they are definitely a gladiolas. The bulbs look a little bit different than a glad bulb, they are tiny. They look like an iris as well but they are just a tiny little form and then they will get bigger and bigger and multiply and there will be babies along the bottom that will get as big as the mothers and then you can separate them out. They prefer hot full sun and really good drainage. Here in the Pacific Northwest I have never lost my gladiolas as long as they are in raised beds but when we have had colder winters I have actually lost some of my Acidenthera or also called gladiolas merillat and it is always sad but they are not that expensive. I always plant some more in the spring and enjoy their company so stick with us and we will talk about some beautiful bulbs called Ucomas."