Gladiolus dalenii
Dalen's gladiolus
A cormous, clump-forming perennial to 1.2m tall with narrow, grey-green leaves. Flower spikes bearing up to 14 hooded flowers each 8-12cm long are produced in summer; flower colour varies from mottled orange to orange-yellow or red with yellow throats; petals are often flecked or streaked with red
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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Green | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Orange Red Yellow | Green | ||
Autumn | ||||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Iridaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Ornamental bulbs, not to be eaten. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Gladiolus are cormous perennials with fans of sword-shaped or linear leaves and spikes of funnel-shaped flowers
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in a sunny, sheltered position. Plant 10 to 16cm deep on a bed of sharp sand in fertile, well-drained soil. Lift when foliage dies back, discard old corms and store new corms in a dry frost-free place until planting in the spring. In milder areas a thick dry winter mulch may be sufficient to prevent frost damage
Propagation
Propagate by separating cormlets when dormant
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to gladiolus thrip, aphids and slugs
Diseases
May be susceptible to gladiolus corm rot, grey moulds (Botrytis), Fusarium bulb rot, gladiolus core rot, gladiolus dry rot, gladiolus scab and neck rot, fungal leaf spot, and virus diseases
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