All You Need to Know about Gladioli

Belonging to the iris family, gladiolus is a flower whose name is derived from the Latin word gladius, meaning sword. In English, it is also frequently referred to as the sword lily. Its etymology stems not only from the shape of its leaves, which are long and pointed and resemble swords, but also from the fact that it was the flower given to Roman gladiators who would win in the arena. Hence, in addition to other connotations, gladiolus symbolizes victory.

Gladioli are plants native to Africa, Europe and Western Asia and include around 260 species. Nevertheless, the greatest number of species (around 250) are indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. Only the remaining ten species originate from Europe and Asia. Today’s most commonly known varieties, which enrapture us with their large flowers, are a result of the crossing between Mediterranean species and African species that were later discovered.

Being perennial plants, gladioli produce beautiful fragrant flowers in spring that wither in the last days of summery weather in order for the plant to survive during winter. The plants are characterized by an incredibly vast array of sizes, colors and flower shapes, which makes them the plants of choice for exquisite flower arrangements.

The flowering spike of gladiolus and its leaves grow out of a bulb functioning as a food storage underground stem which is called the corm. The original role of the corm was to keep the plant alive during the African dry season. Corms are put in the ground every spring and taken out in autumn. During the summer, following the appearance of the leaves, the old corm withers and one or more new corms develop on top of it. The flowering spike issuing from the corm reaches a height of sixty to eighty centimeters.

Cultivation of Gladioli

Many different types of soil can be used to successfully grow gladioli. For best results, however, preference should be given to soil that contains a blend of clay, sand, silt and organic matter. When planting corms, a sunny spot should be chosen away from any trees and bushes. Planting should take place from the beginning of May until the end of June and it should be done in two week intervals in order to ensure extended blossoming. Place the corms at a distance of 8 to 15 centimeters from each other in a single row and maintain a distance of 60 to 90 centimeters between rows.

Depending on the weather conditions of your region, growing gladioli may require staking in order to protect them from the peril of strong winds. Staking is always desirable if you wish to obtain straight and prolonged flower spikes. In addition to staking, caring for your gladioli will also include plenty of watering during the period of growth and the manual removal of weeds. When the plants become stable, you should also consider applying fertilizer in order to boost their strength.

Disease and Cure of Gladioli

Although gladioli are to a certain extent avoided by pests, they are prone to attacks by the menacing thrip. Thrips are so tiny that they are usually not spotted by the naked eye, but they do leave an impressive trail of damage. Since these insects attack the buds even before they appear, they provoke deformed and stained flowers and their campaign can sometimes even prevent the flowers from opening at all. This means that taking measures to protect your gladioli is obligatory. When the gladiolus grows up to 15 centimeters, insecticide such as carbaryl or malathion in the form of spray or powder should be applied continuously on a weekly basis.

However, the danger of thrips does not stop there. They are so resilient that they can survive on corms that are stored during winter for planting in spring. This will require you to apply the aforementioned insecticide on the corms prior to storage. In order to guarantee that none of your corms are infected by thrips, rots and any of the other common diseases, you should make it a point to inspect each corm and dispose of the bad ones before planting.

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