Botanical atlas

Field Gladiolus

Gladiolus italicus

Long before it was bred into the towering florist's gladiolus, Field Gladiolus grew wild through the wheat fields and olive groves of the Mediterranean, earning the old country name corn flag for the way its sword-shaped leaves stood among the grain. Ancient Romans gave it its name from gladius, sword, and folklore holds that fighters carried or wore the corms as a charm for courage rather than as any kind of medicine. Over the centuries it has been treasured chiefly as a garden and cut flower, its magenta blooms gathered into bouquets and its corms passed hand to hand between gardeners, while the plant itself was generally left alone as food or remedy given its irritant reputation.

Safety.

Corms are toxic if eaten and are a documented hazard to cats, dogs, and horses, causing drooling, vomiting, or lethargy. The corms and sap can also irritate human skin or the mouth, so keep them away from children and pets.