line · moderate · mid
Gladiolus
Gladiolus · aka sword lily
The gladiolus is the line flower of late summer — reaching 150 cm on strong stems with 8–15 florets that open bottom-up over ten days. Snap off the top 2–3 unopened buds at purchase; they'll never open properly and steal energy from lower florets. A funeral and sympathy staple in North America, an everyday flower elsewhere.
At a glance
| Family | Iridaceae |
|---|---|
| Origin | South Africa; commercially grown Netherlands, Israel, California |
| Peak season | July, August, September |
| Availability | May to October |
| Stem length | 80–150 cm |
| Vase life | 7–12 days |
| Colors | white, cream, yellow, peach, pink, coral, red, burgundy, purple, bicolor |
| Price tier | mid |
Conditioning
Cut on a diagonal. Snap off the top 2–3 unopened buds — they steal energy from lower florets that would open first anyway.
Care in the vase
- •Snap top buds off — improves lower floret opening
- •Multiple florets open sequentially bottom-up over 10 days
- •Snap off finished florets to keep the stem clean
- •Tall stems (150 cm) require deep sturdy vases
Design role & symbolism
Symbolismstrength of character, faithfulness, moral integrity
Occasionssympathy, large arrangements, vertical line work
Substitutesdelphinium, snapdragon
tallline-flowersummersympathy
