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Gladioli are very popular because of their characteristic flowers. The plants, which originate from Southern Europe and Africa, have spread to Central Europe over the course of their cultivation and the only two species found in Germany are the marsh and meadow ryegrass. If you have decided to grow irises, you must be curious to see when the plants will bloom and what to do if they don't.
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Gladioli are one of the plant genera that do not have a fixed flowering time, but a flowering period in which the different species bloom. Thus, the time when the gladiolus flowers show differs from species to species. You should take advantage of this when designing the garden. There are two dates throughout the year when you can enjoy the flowers of the genus:
- early species bloom from May to June
- late species bloom from late June or early July to September
In itself, the iris family (bot. Iridaceae) is a sun-kissed plant that mainly flowers when the weather is nice. For this reason, the weather can have a significant impact on the flowering period and even delay it. The earliest gladioli therefore only appear after the ice saints, as they cannot withstand frost and can even be damaged by it. Below you will find a small overview of possible species that bloom early.
Early blooming gladioli
- Byzantine ivy (bot. G. communis)
- Seed gladiolus (bot. G. italicus)
- Illyrian igloo (bot. G. illyricus)
- Marsh periwinkle (bot. G. palustris)
Swamp gladioli like it moist.
It is precisely the original species that start flowering at the end of May and quickly create a veritable sea of flowers in the garden. The following taxa, on the other hand, do not appear until later in the year and are particularly popular when it is really warm outside:
Late blooming gladioli
- Large-flowered gladiolus hybrids
- Varieties of the Nanus Group
- Varieties of the Primulinus group
- Butterfly gladiolus (bot. G. papilio)
Garden Gladiolus
The only exception is the garden gladiolus (Gladiolus hortulanus) with its numerous varieties. These are not limited to a specific period and bloom without any problems from the end of May or the beginning of June into October. This is what makes the garden gladiolus such a popular plant, as it can really delight with its blooms all summer long. You only need the necessary care for this. The garden gladioli are divided into four groups:
- Butterfly gladioli
- baby gladioli
- wild gladioli
- noble gladiolus
They also offer a wide range of varieties. The most popular include:
- perseus
- Blackpool
- Lady Godiva
- Guernsey Glory
- nymph
- atom
This gives you a variety of taxa available to stock and even vary your beds with. Take your time when planning the gladioli beds, because this way you can determine exactly what they will look like in the end. The early-blooming irises bloom for a period of around two to four weeks and can then show off their picturesque blooms again until the end of the season. The late species flower for four to ten weeks, but do not form a second iris flower. Your favorite variety will certainly be there and beautify the garden accordingly.
tip: The meadow gladiolus (bot. Gladiolus imbricatus) is an ideal species with which you can bridge the flowerless period between the early and late gladiolus. They bloom between mid-June and mid-July and ensure that you can enjoy the irises all summer long.
absence of gladiolus bloom
Irises are one of the most demanding plants and can be due to care mistakes or wrong site conditions lazy will. Even small mistakes can lead to the iris not blooming and cloud your enjoyment of the plants.
causes
1. Planted too early
Did you plant your bulbs in April? If so, you'll have to wait a little longer for the picturesque gladiolus blossoms, as the shoots may have been damaged by late frosts. In the worst case, the bulbs and thus the entire specimen were damaged. Remember: Always plant out from the beginning of May, otherwise the flowering will not take place this year or will come much later.
2. Too little sun
Gladiolus are real sun worshipers and need a place in direct sun, otherwise they will not bloom. They also need to be protected.
3. Set too flat
The irises need to be planted deep enough in the ground to support them. Therefore, plant your specimens twice as deep in the ground as the bulb is wide. Otherwise, she will not be able to anchor herself and absorb enough nutrients, delaying flowering.
4. Withered flowers
A gladiolus always forms the flowers from bottom to top. The lower flowers often wilt, stopping the growth of the upper buds as all the energy is put into seed formation. Remove wilted blooms immediately to allow for appropriate energy for upper blooms.
5. Nutrient Deficiency
Do not forget to provide the planting site with sufficient nutrients. Because the hungry plants need a lot of nutrients to be able to form the beautiful flowers. It is best to spread a batch of mature compost or horn meal to stimulate the vitality of the plant.
tip: Don't be surprised if you take the right care and the gladiolus species take longer to open their flowers. When the gladiolus blooms depends not only on the weather and care, but also on the soil conditions and the quality of the bulb, which makes it impossible to predict the final flowering time.