August birth flower: gladiolus and poppy

August has two birth flowers. The Old Farmer’s Almanac lists the gladiolus as the primary August flower and the poppy as the secondary one, and gives strength, remembrance and peace as the meanings for the month. The Almanac also says that not all cultures agree on which flower goes with which month, so you will find other lists.

Of the two, the gladiolus is the one you can plan for August bloom in your own garden. Our gladiolus page compares the varieties we list by group, color and height.

What a gladiolus looks like

NC State Extension’s plant toolbox entry describes funnel-shaped flowers, 1 to 3 inches across, on slender stalks that open one at a time from the bottom up. Plants range from 1 to 6 feet tall. Most garden gladiolus belong to the hybrid group Gladiolus × hortulanus; NC State also names species such as G. murielae and G. byzantinus. Its common name there is sword lily.

How to time gladiolus for August

Gladiolus grow from corms planted in spring. Iowa State Extension advises planting after the danger of frost is past, 4 to 6 inches deep in well-drained soil with at least 6 hours of sun, and says the corms bloom about 8 to 10 weeks after planting. For flowers from midsummer into early fall, it suggests planting more corms every 2 weeks, with the last planting in early July.

Count back from August: corms planted in late May or June should flower in August in most gardens. The spring flower planting calendar gives the frost-free date for your ZIP code and the expected bloom window from it.

Do gladiolus come back every year?

Only where winters are mild. NC State gives USDA zones 7 to 10 and says that, depending on the variety, the corms may need to be dug and stored over winter. Store them dry in mesh bags with good air flow at 35 to 41 °F once the foliage has died back in fall.

What about the poppy?

The poppy is August’s second flower on the Almanac list. We do not list poppies in this catalog, so this guide does not give growing advice for them.