Flower School 05 Acidanthera bicolor

photo by Eduard Sjoukes

Chromolithograph by Guillaume Severeyns after painting by H.G. Moon 1895

The Acidanthera bicolor is a late summer(mid August- mid Sept) blooming bulb perennial which likes to be planted in the spring and grown in clumps on a sunny southern facing border or bed in the garden with excellent drainage. It will reward with a heady scent and delicate contrasting blossoms of pure white petals with dark maroon centers. Commonly mis-named peacock orchid, the Acidanthera (Gladiolus Callianthus) is actually a gladiolus and a distant relative to the Crocosmia.
Conditioning: since blossoms occur one at a time, deadhead any that are wilting and place stems in a generously filled container of water.