Gladiolus Parrot Mix Bulbs

Welcome to the brightest blooms in the garden—bar none. Parrot Mix Glads are indeed like exotic tropical birds, with improbably bold blooms that stand out from far away. This mix contains all the fine colors and ruffled forms of the Parrots at a very nice price, and should be the mainstay of your cutting garden.

Parrot Glads were the very first type of Gladioli introduced into the United States (as early as 1830). These modern varieties offer bolder colors, bigger blooms, better ruffling, and greater garden worthiness than their ancestors, but the heritage is the same. Your great-great grandparents might have gardened with Parrot Glads.

Parrot Glads are from Africa, a species known as G. dalenii. Very popular in the mid-19th century, they they aren't quite as tall or top-heavy as others, and are thus far less likely to topple. This mixture contains varieties that range from 4 to 5 feet high, with blooms all long the sturdy stems.

Gladiolus Parrot Mix thrives in rich soil receiving full sun and consistent moisture. It can tolerate drier conditions, but give it the very best—you'll want to enjoy the blooms as long as possible. And if you stagger your plantings in spring—a handful of blooms every 2 weeks for the whole season—you should be treated to a succession of flowers nonstop from midsummer through fall. Plant about 4 bulbs per square foot for dense coverage.

Glads are hardy in zones 8-10, and with deep burying and heavy mulching, sometimes in zone 7b as well. They're easy to plant in spring and dig up in late fall for storage in winter and replanting next season. Pick up an extra bag of Gladiolus Parrot Mix bulbs—we guarantee that once you begin designing with this glad, you'll suddenly discover more and more places where a pop of tropical-bright color would not go amiss. Zones 8-10. To ensure the continued life of these bulbs in cooler zones (3-7) dig up the bulbs and store them through winter then replant them the following spring.