A gladiolus is a tall flowering plant that grows from a corm and produces striking spikes of colorful blooms. The flowers stack up along a single stem like trumpet bells climbing a pole, opening from bottom to top over several days. Gardeners love gladiolus (which people often shorten to “glads”) because they come in almost every color imaginable: deep purples, bright reds, soft pinks, sunny yellows, and pure whites.

The name comes from the Latin word gladius, meaning sword, because the plant's long, pointed leaves look like blades. Ancient Romans noticed this resemblance and associated the flower with gladiators. Today, gladiolus flowers are popular in gardens and flower arrangements because they're tall, dramatic, and last a long time after cutting.

The plural of gladiolus can be either gladioluses (following normal English rules) or gladioli (following Latin rules), though many people just say “glads” when talking about more than one. These flowers need full sun and bloom in mid to late summer, bringing bold splashes of color when many spring flowers have already faded.