Gladiolus bulb?

Discussion in 'Plants: Identification' started by erika777, Feb 6, 2010.

  1. erika777

    erika777 Active Member

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    victoria, bc, canada
    Hi,

    I dug up some bulbs in a hidden corner of the yard and forget completely what the plant looks like during the summer. I really can't picture it in my mind. The bulbs looks like gladioluses to me, but would anyone be able to tell me that they're certain or if it could possibly be something else?

    Thanks so much!
     

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  2. thanrose

    thanrose Active Member 10 Years

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    Jacksonville, FL USA USDA Zone 9
    It's been many many years since I've grown them, but yes, they do look like gladiolus corms. Plus the sprouting one has the look of the leaves. It could be something else, but the fibrous bits on the corm also look right.
     
  3. erika777

    erika777 Active Member

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    yeah, that's why I took a picture of the fibrous bits... haha, but still, I'm so iffy about it. Thanks for your response thanrose and also for teaching me the word, "corms" :)

    cheers,
    -erika
     
  4. vicif

    vicif Member

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    gladiolous are rhizones that doesn't look anything like them. could be in the lily family
     
  5. Marn

    Marn Active Member 10 Years

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    Glads are not Rhizomes .. they are corms .. i have a ton of them out back right now that are not planted ..

    that is a Glad ..

    Marion
     
  6. photopro

    photopro Well-Known Member

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    This appears to be a Gladiolus corm which is not a rhizome. Corms differ from bulbs and tubers for several reasons.

    A bulb is an underground storage structure used to store starches and water that is a condensed stem usually with a basal plate and fleshy storage leaves surrounding the bud that will form the next plant. It is composed of thick modified leaves arranged in layers that are used for food storage. If you want to see the inside of a bulb slice open an onion to see the layers since an onion is a perfect example of a bulb.

    A corm is an underground stem to which the above-ground parts of the plant may die back in the dormant season. It often stores starch and when it regrows foliage will come from the top and roots from the base like a typical stem. Any scientific source will tell you Gladiolus grow from a corm.

    Another term is tuber but a potato is a tuber. Just cut one open and you can easily see the difference. All three of these are underground stems (the central axis of a plant).

    A Gladiolus does not grow from a rhizome. A rhizome is a stem that runs either along (repent) or just beneath the surface of the soil.

    If all of this is confusing the site below contains excellent illustrations of all the forms with a great explanation of the differences. Just go down to the drawings of the forms of a corm and the example used is Gladiolus. Shortly thereafter the site explains why a rhizome is different:

    http://urbanext.illinois.edu/bulbs/bulbbasics.html
     

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