Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0–0.1 metreGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Blue | Green | ||
| Autumn | Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Iridaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Gladiolus are cormous perennials with fans of sword-shaped or linear leaves and spikes of funnel-shaped flowers
- Name status
Unresolved
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, planting the corms 15cm deep in spring, on a bed of sharp sand to aid drainage; in frost-prone areas, lift when the leaves turn yellow-brown, and store the new corms in a dry, frost-free place until the following spring; in milder areas, add a thick dry mulch overwinter
Propagation
Propagate by division, separating cormlets when dormant
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to gladiolus thrip, aphids and slugs
Diseases
May be susceptible to gladiolus corm rot, grey moulds (Botrytis), Fusarium bulb rot, gladiolus core rot, gladiolus dry rot, gladiolus scab and neck rot, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.