Gladiolus

The genus Gladiolus contains about 260 species! Today we will talk about the general genus of Gladiolus. Genus refers to a similar species of plants.

Gladiolus is a beautifully stunning perennial that flowers into sword-like vertical blooms. They can grow from 2-5 feet tall and bloom from the bottom up. You may need to stake the taller plants. The blooms can be cut at angle on the stem for harvesting when all the flowers haven't bloomed yet, they will continue blooming in a vase.

History

The name gladiolus comes from the Latin word for sword "gladius". The flowers can range from almost any colour of the rainbow including white! The range of colour gives you almost endless creations of different flower arrangements for your garden and bouquets. The plant originated in Africa and Asia. The seeds were crushed and used as a medicine to treat and heal wounds and colic by mixing with milk.

Planting

Plant the corms in spring after the last frost. They require lots of sunlight, well-draining soil, and a good watering throughout its growing season. Blooms last for about 2 weeks, so a tip is to plant the corms all throughout spring for blooms all summer long! Plant the corms 4 inches deep and space them as close as 6 inches. These flowers will attract all kinds of birds and bees, so enjoy the hard work you put into growing them! Pinch off dead flowers to promote new growth.

Harvesting

Cut the stems at an angle once the flowers begin to bloom (the rest will bloom in the vase). Immediately place the cut stems into water. Leave about 4 inches on the plant if you wish to reuse the corm so that it can channel it's energy into the corm. Some gladiolus can produce seed pods that you can harvest, but growing from seeds will take much longer to produce flowers.

Replanting

The corms must be removed from the soil in late fall and stored in a frost-free place over winter to allow for spring planting. You also have the option of collecting seeds from the flowers and replanting those in the spring. Cormels are tiny corms that form on the main corm that can also produce a new plant naturally.

Before digging up the corm in the fall, make sure all of the flowers have died off. Let the corms dry before storing them for the winter in a cool dark place.

Health Benefits

• The plant purifies the air, creating clean oxygen

• They can attract different birds and wildlife to help with bug pest control (I know that would help my mental health!)

• Flowers can create a calming environment, reducing stress

• Since gladiolus get so tall, they provide shade for your pets on hot days

Do not try these tips, but these are some ancient known health benefits of gladiolus:

• The corms were used as bandages to extract thorns and slivers from the skin

• The corms were crushed into a powdered substance and mixed with milk to help treat colic

Please note: Parts of the gladiolus is poisonous, and I do not recommended using the plant for anything other than its visual beauty.

Don't forget to enjoy the beautiful sight of the colours and shapes, the animals and bugs that they attract, the scent, and the peacefulness that they bring! Also remember to be generous and gift your friends and family with some of your beautiful flowers that you have grown. Most importantly, cut some flowers for yourself to spruce up your home or office space! Having flowers in your home and office has many health benefits to it. For more information on that, read my past blog post: https://samarak10.wixsite.com/theeverythingblog/post/desk-plants

I hope you enjoyed this brief article on Gladiolus. I am currently growing my own for the very first time and I will keep you posted with my journey! I wish I could have my own photos of the beauty these plants present, but I'm hoping in a few months I will!