Some things I didn't know about Gladiolus

Some Interesting Facts About Gladiolus Flowers
An ancient name for the gladiolus was xiphium, from the Greek word xiphos, also meaning sword.
The Gladiolus flower is the birth flower for August.
Gladiolus represented the Roman Gladiators, before the African Gladioli became popular in the West.
African Gladioli were imported in large quantities to Europe from South Africa during the 18th century.
Most of the more than 10,000 named Gladioli cultivars probably were derived from just seven species native to South Africa and first brought to European gardens in the late 17 th century.
The Mediterranean and British Gladiolus flowers were used to treat physical ailments.
Some parts of Gladiolus plant are poisonous, if ingested, and handling some species may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.
The English used the gladiolus flower's stem base (corms) as a poultice and for drawing out thorns and splinters; powdered corms mixed with goat's milk was commonly used to soothe the symptoms of colic.