Gladiolus Leaves Look Like Swords: What Is Its Flower Language and Symbolic Meaning?
Friends in southern China probably often have a bunch of gladiolus in their homes. Its flower stems are upright like swords, its blossoms are brightly colored and elegantly shaped, and the price at flower stalls is cheap too; usually 10 yuan gets you 6 stems of fresh cut flowers.
The scientific name of gladiolus is Gladiolus, and its flower language is fortune and promotion. It also represents feelings of remembrance, so it can be given to elders and teachers, and of course to lovers as well. It is considered one of the world's four major cut flowers. In terms of color, there are pink, purple, white, and so on. For fresh cut flowers, after buying them and taking them home, unpack them. The gladiolus stems are generally quite long, and for home care they do not need to be too tall. You can first cut them diagonally at 45 degrees, then use a deep water bucket to revive them for about 2 hours. Note here not to revive them too long, because gladiolus easily opens fully and shatters.
After the flowers have been revived, tidy the leaves and try to make sure the leaves below the vase are all removed to prevent them from rotting while soaking inside. If you especially like the leaves, you can take them out separately and use them as decoration. Finally, prepare a relatively tall vase, add 1/2 the amount of water, and if conditions allow add flower preservative or a few drops of 84 disinfectant. Use the spiral method to align the flower heads, arranging them together from upper left to lower right, then cut diagonally at 45 degrees according to the height of the vase and place them into the vase. In daily care, change the water once every 2~3 days. If the weather is hot, additionally use a spray bottle to mist them once in the morning and once in the evening. If during the flowering period you find spent flowers or moldy flowers, be sure to cut them and clean them out promptly.
Gladiolus is not only suitable as a cut flower, but is also an ideal choice for landscaping and home decoration. So, in daily potted care, gladiolus needs plenty of sunlight. Place it in a spot with good light, but also avoid direct scorching sun. The soil should be well drained, and the base can be regularly supplemented with some decomposed compost or compound fertilizer to provide nutrients.
Finally, for watering, follow the principle of keeping the soil moist but not waterlogged. During the growth period, gladiolus tends to grow tall flower stems, so at this time, to prevent lodging, pay attention to pruning dead leaves and flower stems more to promote new growth.