Morphological Characteristics of Gladiolus and an Introduction to Its Planting and Care Methods

The scientific name of gladiolus is Gladiolus gandavensis, a perennial herbaceous flower of the genus Gladiolus in the family Iridaceae. It gets its name because its leaves are narrow, long and upright like swords; it is also commonly called changlan, bianzhulian and shiyangjin among gardeners. Its underground part is a flattened spherical corm. When it blooms, the flower spike opens from the bottom upward in turn, and the flower colors cover many shades including red, yellow, pink, white and purple, making it highly ornamental.

Gladiolus is native to southern Africa and the Mediterranean coast. Through long-term hybridization and selection, its varieties are very rich; by flowering period it can be divided into early-flowering, mid-flowering and late-flowering types, and the flower forms also vary in size. With advantages such as long slender flower spikes, diverse colors and a relatively long vase life, it is listed together with roses, chrysanthemums and carnations as one of the world's four major cut flowers.

In cultivation, gladiolus prefers a sunny, warm climate and is suitable for planting in loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam. It should not be watered too much at ordinary times; keep the soil slightly moist and avoid waterlogging, otherwise the corms rot easily. It is not cold-tolerant. In cold winter regions, the corms can be dug out after the aboveground parts turn yellow and wither, dried and stored in a ventilated, dry place, and planted again the following spring. Propagation is mainly by dividing the corms, and new types can also be bred by sowing seeds.

In routine management, also watch out for diseases such as soft rot and flower rot. Selecting healthy, plump corms before planting and disinfecting them well, and keeping good ventilation and light during the growing period, can noticeably reduce disease occurrence. Gladiolus can be planted in groups for flower border arrangements, and it is also a very popular cut flower material. Cut flower spikes placed in a vase will still open one after another, making them suitable for home flower arranging and festive decoration.