Gladiolus saundersii

Native to the high-altitude regions of southern Africa, from Joubert's Pass in the Eastern Cape through the Drakensberg to Lesotho and the northeastern Free State, Gladiolus saundersii grows on rocky outcrops and scree in dry but seasonally moist habitats. From its corm, a stem 40 to 60 cm tall rises in summer, bearing bright red flowers held sideways or drooping, the three lower tepals speckled red on a white ground. Known as the Lesotho lily, it requires, like most South African gladioli, well-drained soil, full sun, watering during summer growth, and a dry winter dormancy.