rainbow of cut gladiolus from wildly native flower farm

Gladiolus

Scientific Name: Gladiolus

Why We Love It

Originating in South Africa, the gladiolus began to spread further worldwide in the 18th and 19th centuries.  We couldn’t be happier that they made their way up here!

Gladiolus are a beautiful spike flower that work well in both garden beds and wedding bouquets.  Their added height can bring your arrangement to the next level, literally.

These corms (bulbs) don’t need to overwinter like daffodils or tulips do, but rather can be planted out in the spring for summer blooms.

Bloom Season

Summer into Fall

Color Palette

Everything Except Blue

Life Cycle

Perennial in the garden, Annual as a cut flower

Vase Life

1 week +

Design Notes

  • lots of colors make these a perfect fit for any occasion
  • we love them for adding height and drama to arrangements
  • for use in a vase, they will last longer if there are more buds left to open towards the top
  • you can also snap the top unopened buds off of the stem to let the colorful bloom be the star

Growing Notes

  • easy to plant in rotations if using as a cut flower for continuous blooms throughout the season
  • pulling out the corm (bulb) and planting new each season ensures the best blooms for harvesting
  • if using as a perennial in the garden, you can leave the same corm to bloom year after year
  • if you have the taller varieties, structural support in the field/garden is recommended so they don’t fall over!