Gladiolus
Gladiolus × hortulanus (garden hybrids)
📖 About this plant
The ‘sword lily,’ producing tall, dramatic flower spikes lined with large, ruffled, funnel-shaped blooms in virtually every color imaginable — including bicolored, patterned, and even green varieties. Each spike can bear 12 or more florets that open sequentially from the bottom up. A classic cut flower and garden staple, gladioli add vertical drama and bold color to borders, cutting gardens, and floral arrangements.
🧑🌾 Care requirements
Full sun (6+ hrs)
Every 2-3 days
Moderate (40-60%)
15-28°C
Well-draining, fertile, sandy loam soil; heavy soils need amendment with sand and organic matter
Balanced fertilizer at planting and every 3-4 weeks during growth; high-phosphorus feed when flower spikes appear; avoid excessive nitrogen
📋 Plant facts
- 🌍 Origin
- Southern Africa and tropical Africa, Mediterranean Europe, and Middle East; the genus includes over 260 species; modern hybrids developed mainly in Europe and North America
- 📏 Max height
- 60-150 cm
- 📐 Spread
- 15-30 cm
- 🕰️ Bloom time
- Summer
- 🎨 Bloom color
- Pink, Red, Yellow, White, Purple
- 🍃 Foliage color
- Green
- ⏳ Lifespan
- Perennial
- 📈 Growth rate
- Moderate
- ☠️ Toxicity
- Mildly toxic — corms contain potentially toxic compounds; ingestion may cause gastrointestinal upset; generally not severely toxic but keep away from pets and children
- 🌱 Propagation
- Cormel separation in autumn; division of corms with offsets; seed sowing for new hybrid development
🛡️ Health & Safety
Mildly toxic — corms contain potentially toxic compounds; ingestion may cause gastrointestinal upset; generally not severely toxic but keep away from pets and children
Common issues
- Thrips on flower buds and corms, Fusarium corm rot, Curvularia leaf spot
💡 Care tips
- Tall spiky flower stems produce blooms from bottom to top,Plant corms in succession every 2 weeks for continuous summer flowers,Stake tall stems to prevent wind damage,Dig up corms before first frost in cold climates and store indoors
