An Analysis of the Floral Language, Symbolism and Cultural Connotations of Gladiolus
Gladiolus, also known as Tangchangpu, Jianlan, Bianzhulian and so on, is a perennial herbaceous plant of the genus Gladiolus in the family Iridaceae. Its corm is flat and round. Its original species came from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa and was developed through multiple interspecific crosses. Cultivated varieties are widely distributed around the world. It can be used in flower baskets, bouquets, vase arrangements and so on, and can be used to lay out flower borders and specialized flower beds. Let us take a look at the floral language and culture of gladiolus together below!
The Floral Language of Gladiolus
1. It represents feelings of remembrance, and also expresses love, attentiveness, longevity, peace and prosperity, and good fortune.
2. Attentiveness, good fortune, wealth, rising step by step, and firmness. Chinese people believe that the leaves of gladiolus resemble long swords, like the precious sword worn by Zhong Kui, and can ward off evil spirits and protect against misfortune, making it an indispensable flower arrangement material for festive occasions. In addition, its flowers open gradually from bottom to top, symbolizing rising step by step, making it a widely used flower material in congratulatory flower baskets.
3. Secret rendezvous, attentiveness. The delicate flowers, protected by thick stems and quietly blooming on the stems, probably bring to mind a woman who turns up her coat collar to half cover her face! So many people tie them into bouquets and give them to the other person as a secret signal for a rendezvous. Although a rendezvous can raise the heat of a romance, one must still not lose calm, so another floral language of gladiolus is attentiveness.
Gladiolus Pairings
1. A Blooming Season
[Flower materials] 15 stems of pink gladiolus, 9 stems of pink perfume lilies, 29 stems of red roses, with baby's breath and asparagus fern and other green leaves for pairing.
[Comment] This bouquet uses pink gladiolus. Pink originally gives people a rather delicate feeling, but because gladiolus has a tension-filled opening posture, it lets people see a kind of youthful power. It is especially suitable for giving to women.
2. Smooth and Satisfactory
[Flower materials] 6 stems of red gladiolus, 2 stems of multi-headed pink perfume lilies, 9 stems of red gerbera, with an appropriate amount of gardenia leaves, Brazilian leaves and turtle back leaves for pairing.
[Comment] Red gladiolus is the highlight of this bouquet, letting people see passion for life. Paired with lilies, which symbolize "all things going as one wishes," it is especially delightful.
The Culture of Gladiolus
As early as the beginning of the 17th century, when gladiolus still grew wild in the Cape of Good Hope region of Africa, only some aristocratic ladies who loved flowers as much as life appreciated it, and they sent people to collect it and cultivate it in their home gardens. In 1807, the British missionary William Herbert crossed 11 species of wild gladiolus in a bishop's garden and cultivated 3 new varieties with beautiful flower colors. After that, it gradually spread to European and American countries. In the Netherlands, long known as the "Kingdom of a Hundred Flowers," flower merchants gave priority to bringing gladiolus to market, and its total output was second only to the national flower, the tulip.
Because gladiolus has a fascinating charm, many Westerners regard it as a symbol of joy, celebration and harmony. It is indispensable in ceremonial flowers presented at weddings, banquets or mutual visits by famous people. In particular, many American families use it for decoration every day of the month. In 1984, when U.S. President Reagan ended his visit to China and held a return banquet, the American side specially airlifted more than 1,100 fresh stems of gladiolus from Hong Kong, China and Guangzhou to Beijing to enhance the lively atmosphere of the banquet.
China is a pioneer of the Eastern-style flower arrangement school. As early as 1599, the Ming dynasty author Yuan Hongdao's "Vase History" already gave a clear discussion of the artistic beauty of flower arrangement: "Flower arrangement must not be too elaborate, nor too thin (that is, too sparse); at most two or three kinds, with height and density arranged as in a painting gallery, then it is wonderful." At that time gladiolus had not yet appeared, but his statement is also very suitable for gladiolus arrangements. According to master flower arrangers in China and abroad, gladiolus, whether inserted upright, at an angle, long or short, will show extraordinary charm and can calmly rise from natural beauty to artistic beauty, so some experts praise it as the "universal master" in the field of flower arrangement.