Gladiolus: The August Birth Flower Meaning and Care

The August birth flower is the gladiolus, the tall sword lily that shoots up a stalk of ruffled blooms in the heat of late summer. If your birthday or a special occasion lands in the eighth month, this is your flower, and it carries a long history of meaning behind its bold colors. Here is what you need to know about the gladiolus, from its symbolism and folklore to a plain guide for growing your own. We will also look at the poppy, the popular second flower for August. Jump to gladiolus flower meaning.

About Gladiolus

Gladiolus is a perennial in the Iridaceae family, related to freesia, iris, and crocus. There are roughly 300 species of gladioli, with the vast majority native to tropical Sub-Saharan Africa, as far south as the tip of the continent in South Africa. A few varieties also grow wild in the warmer country around the Mediterranean and in southeast Asia.

These flowers first reached northern Europe and England by way of the old India spice route, when traders sailed around Africa and stopped in Cape Town at the southern tip of the continent to resupply. The distinctive blooms were quickly noticed, and gardeners have been trading them ever since.

Here is a curious note. While gladioli are a summer bloom honored as the August birth flower up north, across most of their native range below the equator they bloom in the early winter, once the tropical heat has eased. The plant follows its own home season, no matter what the calendar on your wall says.

Gladioli are perennials that sprout from corms. Many people assume they are blooming bulbs, but a corm is a different structure underground. Extensive hybridizing began in the early 1800s and has since produced hundreds of color and size variations, so there is a gladiolus to suit just about every taste. (Speaking of corms, did you know you can grow your own saffron, the world’s most expensive spice?)

Gladioli are tall, upright plants with many flowers riding a single sturdy stem. Blooms open from the bottom first, unfurling funnel-shaped flowers in a run of colors from red, pink, and orange to white, cream, yellow, purple, peach, and burgundy, and even multicolored patterns with tinted edges.

Some gladiolus blooms are smooth-edged, but most are ruffled for extra texture. The leaves are sword-shaped with fine grooves, and that shape is where the name comes from. Gladiolus traces back to the Latin gladius, or “little sword.” Sword lily and corm lily are other names for the flower, and plenty of gardeners simply call them “glads.”

The gladiolus relies on birds, bees, wasps, and moths for pollination. In North American gardens, the tall spikes are a fine way to draw hummingbirds, whose long, needle-like bills fit neatly into the nectar-rich flowers. The blooms are not strongly scented, though some varieties carry a light, fresh aroma.

Gladioli make excellent cut flowers and can last a week or longer in a vase with proper care. They are popular in landscapes and cutting gardens, and they turn up in arm bouquets and gifts well beyond August.

Gladiolus Flower Meaning

The gladiolus is best known as the August birth month flower, but it is also the official flower of the 40th wedding anniversary. Its symbolism of strength, integrity, and perseverance suits a long marriage well, since it takes all three to celebrate that many years together.

These flowers carry other meanings too, among them love, victory, healing, sincerity, morality, calmness, and admiration. Like many flowers that come in a wide range of colors, each gladiolus color can send its own message:

• Red: love, passion, romance
• Yellow: happiness, joy, positivity, cheer, friendship
• Orange: enthusiasm, excitement, creativity
• White: purity, elegance
• Pink: gentleness, femininity, a mother’s love
• Purple: grace, mystery

By choosing gladiolus flowers by color, you can build an entire bouquet or arrangement rich with meaning for someone special.

If that special someone happens to be born in August, they may share a few of the personality traits often tied to the eighth month: confidence, passion, creativity, determination, optimism, and generosity. The gladiolus, with its bold upright growth, vivid colors, and generous blooms, matches many of those same traits.

Beyond August and the 40th wedding anniversary, the gladiolus is also the official state flower of Punjab, India, where it is a common sight in festival and holiday decorations.

Legends and Lore About the Gladiolus Flower

We know a good deal about where the gladiolus comes from in nature, but the flower also carries its share of legends. In Christian tradition, the gladiolus stands for the Resurrection, its tall stem echoing the shape of the Cross and its many blooms speaking to the renewing nature of faith.

Ancient Greek legend offers a twisting origin story tied to the goddess Demeter, sister of Zeus and keeper of agriculture, grain, and the harvest. A grove of oaks sacred to Demeter was cut down for firewood by the unbeliever Erisichton. She punished him with poor harvests and famine, and in his desperation he set out to sell his own daughter. The girl fled to the sacred grove, where Demeter turned her into a gladiolus so she could stand watch for intruders.

Pluto, the Greek god of the underworld, was said to have worn a wreath of gladioli, and the Hindu god Vishnu is associated with the flower as well.

Cultural Connections With the Gladiolus Flower

The gladiolus reaches beyond legend and into everyday history. In ancient Rome, fighters wore the flowers during their violent contests, believing the blooms would call up the strength and skill of a warrior and win the protection of the gods. Roman soldiers also used gladioli to mark their military victories.

Because the gladiolus is so well loved in India, it is no surprise that the ancient poet Kalidasa, counted among the greatest Sanskrit poets in history, wove the flower into many of his works.

These bright blooms also show up in a great deal of floral art, including paintings by Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet, and on postage stamps from many nations: the United States, the former Soviet Union, Cuba, Malta, Moldova, Italy, Panama, Japan, Gambia, Albania, and more.

In Asian culture, red gladioli are often a favored decoration for Lunar New Year celebrations. The bold bloom stands for power, abundance, and prosperity, and the deep red hue is counted among the luckiest colors in the culture.

The word “gladiolus” holds a bit of fame of its own. In 1925, gladiolus was the winning word spelled by Frank Neuhauser to take the first National Spelling Bee, now the longest-running educational promotion in the United States.

Toxicity and Medicinal Uses

Because the gladiolus is spread across so many cultures, it is no wonder that people have reached for it over the centuries as a folk remedy, using it to treat colic, sore throats, fevers, inflammation, cramps, ulcers, and fungal infections.

It is worth knowing, though, that most parts of the gladiolus plant are toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and horses. The plant is not poisonous to touch, but anyone with sensitive skin may want to wear gloves while handling it, since the sap from a cut bloom can cause irritation.

Oddly enough, the petals of gladiolus blooms are edible and carry a mild flavor, close to lettuce. Remove the anthers first, and the petals can brighten a salad or be sauteed into sauces and other dishes.

Note: The Farmers’ Almanac does not offer medical advice. Information shared in this article is for educational purposes only. If you do choose to forage or eat edible plants, work with an expert and never eat anything from nature without properly identifying it first.

Growing Gladiolus

Gladioli are considered easy to grow and do well in flowerbeds, raised beds, or containers. If you are worried about digging dogs or curious children, containers are a smart way to keep the toxic parts up and out of reach.

Well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic soil suits gladioli best, and they want at least 5 to 6 hours of full sun for strong growth. Without enough light, the stems go floppy and the blooms come in smaller and less dramatic. Taller varieties may need staking or support no matter how much sun they get, especially in windy spots.

Gladioli bloom 60 to 90 days after planting, so staggering your plantings every 10 to 14 days keeps the color coming right through late summer. Feed the plants with a balanced fertilizer or a top-up of compost, and give them about an inch of water a week.

In the fall, lift the corms and store them in a cool, dry place until after the last frost passes in spring, which helps them last from one year to the next. Do not dig the corms until the leaves have wilted naturally after blooming, since the plant is still feeding them.

Thrips are the most common trouble for gladioli, though the plants can also draw aphids and spider mites. A blast from the hose knocks many pests off, and insecticidal soap or neem oil will help keep the plants healthy.

Make Your Gladiolus Arrangement Last Longer With These Three Steps

1. Choose stems where only one or two blooms are just starting to open.
2. Strip any flowers and leaves from the bottom of the stem, where they would sit underwater and rot, then cut the stems at a 45 degree angle and set them in lukewarm water.
3. Change the water every 2 to 3 days. Each time you do, trim 1 to 2 inches off the stems to refresh the flower’s ability to drink.

Follow those steps and your gladiolus bouquet should hold for a week or longer.

When the August Birth Flower Blooms, Region by Region

Gladiolus is a summer bloomer, but the exact weeks shift with your frost dates. Because glads flower 60 to 90 days after the corms go in, the calendar slides north to south. Gardeners usually plant once the soil has warmed and the last spring frost has passed. Here is a rough guide for the United States.

Region	Plant corms	Expect blooms
Deep South and Gulf Coast	March into April	June and July
Mid-South and Southern Plains	April	Late June into July
Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley	Late April into May	July into August
Midwest and Great Lakes	Mid to late May	August
Northeast and New England	Late May into early June	August into September
Mountain West and Pacific Northwest	Late May into June	Late August into September

In Canada, gardeners in British Columbia and southern Ontario often plant from mid to late spring, while the Prairies, Quebec, and the Maritimes wait until the soil warms in late spring. Everywhere, lift and store the corms before the hard frosts of fall. To time your planting to your own ground, check your average frost dates and the Best Days for gardening in your area.

Another August Birth Month Flower, the Poppy

While the gladiolus richly deserves the honor of standing for August, a popular alternative August birth month flower is the poppy, of the family Papaveraceae. The name comes from the Latin pappa, or “milk,” a nod to the white, sticky sap that seeps from a cut bloom.

Poppies are herbaceous plants that grow wild across Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America, and they are related to bleeding hearts. There are both annual and perennial kinds, and they can spread quickly to fill a flowerbed or naturalize across a landscape.

Poppies stand for prosperity, enchantment, and sympathy, and red poppies in particular have come to mean memorial and remembrance. That meaning owes much to Canadian poet Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae and his poem “In Flanders Fields,” which describes the bright blooms rising in the fields of northern France and Belgium after World War I, where 87,000 Allied soldiers had died.

In older legend, the poppy also ties back to Demeter and the harvest. The story is not as detailed as the gladiolus tale, but it was believed that a field where poppies grew would give the next crop an abundant harvest, a sign of Demeter’s favor.

One of the poppy’s best-known links today is not to farming but to opium and opiate drugs. The seeds of some poppy species can be processed into heroin, codeine, and morphine. That association was even written into L. Frank Baum’s classic The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and the later movie (1939), when a field of poppies sends Dorothy and her friends into an enchanted sleep.

Today the California poppy is the official state flower of the Golden State, a common sight blooming along roadsides and across open fields. Each year, California marks April 6 as California Poppy Day. Learn more about the poppy in our full guide.

Both the gladiolus and the poppy are stunning flowers and fine choices for the August birth month flower. Which is your favorite, and how will you celebrate it each summer?

August Birth Flower: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the August birth flower?

The August birth flower is the gladiolus, also called the sword lily. A second flower, the poppy, is a popular alternative August birth month flower. The gladiolus stands for strength, integrity, and perseverance, and it is also the flower of the 40th wedding anniversary.

What does the gladiolus flower symbolize?

The gladiolus symbolizes strength, integrity, and perseverance, along with love, victory, healing, sincerity, and admiration. Color adds to the message: red means love and passion, yellow means joy and friendship, white means purity, pink means gentleness, and purple means grace and mystery.

How do you grow gladiolus?

Plant gladiolus corms in well-drained, neutral to slightly acidic soil with at least 5 to 6 hours of full sun once the last spring frost has passed. They bloom 60 to 90 days later, so stagger plantings every 10 to 14 days for color all summer. Give them about an inch of water a week and stake the taller varieties.

Is gladiolus poisonous to pets?

Yes. Most parts of the gladiolus plant are toxic to humans, dogs, cats, and horses, and the corm is the most poisonous part. The plant is safe to touch, but the sap can irritate sensitive skin, so wear gloves and keep the corms away from curious pets and children.

What is the other August birth flower besides the gladiolus?

The poppy is the popular second August birth month flower. It stands for prosperity, enchantment, and sympathy, and the red poppy has become a symbol of remembrance thanks to the poem “In Flanders Fields.” The California poppy is also the state flower of California.

How do I make cut gladiolus last longer in a vase?

Choose stems with only one or two blooms starting to open, strip the lower leaves, and cut the stems at a 45 degree angle before setting them in lukewarm water. Change the water every 2 to 3 days and trim 1 to 2 inches off the stems each time. Cared for this way, a gladiolus bouquet should last a week or longer.