A relative of the Gladiolus, Acidanthera has little in common with its kinfolk other than sword-like leaves. Gone is the heavy flower spike which puts some gardeners off gladioli because of the misleadingly stiff appearance of the flower spire which in reality is often anything but stiff, and needs staking to hold it up. Instead Acidanthera, a South African wild flower sometimes called the peacock orchid, offers single delicate and fragrant flowers on long stems between August and October. The orchid-like white Acidanthera blooms, starred with purple round a heart of bright yellow, make beautiful cut flowers and are easy to grow, provided they get full sun. Acidanthera's full height is around 60cm, and they are suitable for both gardens and containers.