How to Care for Gladioli: A Simple Guide

Gladioli are beautiful, dramatic flowers with tall stems and rows of blooms that gradually open from the bottom upwards.

With the right care, they can create a striking display and continue opening beautifully over several days.

When Your Gladioli Arrive

Don’t worry if some of the flowers are still tightly closed when they arrive.

Fresh Gladioli are often sent before they are fully open so they travel better and have more time to bloom in your home.

Once conditioned and placed in water, the individual florets will gradually open up the stem.

Trim the Stems

Before placing your Gladioli in water, trim around 2–3cm from the bottom of each stem using clean, sharp scissors or secateurs.

Cut the stems at an angle to help them take up water efficiently.

Remove Lower Foliage

Remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline.

Leaves left underwater can encourage bacteria to develop, which can reduce the vase life of your flowers.

Use a Clean Vase and Fresh Water

Place the Gladioli into a thoroughly cleaned vase filled with fresh water.

If flower food has been supplied with your order, add it according to the instructions.

Change or refresh the water regularly and keep the vase clean.

Keep Gladioli Upright

Gladioli naturally respond to gravity and light, so their growing tips can begin to curve if the stems are stored horizontally.

For beautifully straight stems, keep them standing upright whenever possible.

A tall vase also gives the stems plenty of support.

Where to Display Them

Keep your Gladioli somewhere cool and bright, but away from:

• Direct strong sunlight

• Radiators and other heat sources

• Draughts

• Ripening fruit

A cooler position will generally help your flowers last longer.

Watching Them Bloom

One of the loveliest things about Gladioli is the way they open.

The lower florets usually open first, followed gradually by the flowers higher up the stem.

You can remove individual faded blooms as they finish to keep the arrangement looking fresh while the remaining buds continue to open.

How Long Do Gladioli Last?

Vase life varies depending on freshness, temperature and care, but properly conditioned Gladioli can provide a beautiful display for around 7–10 days.

Regular fresh water and clean stems make a big difference.

British-Grown Gladioli from LÖV Flowers

Our seasonal Gladioli are selected for their beautiful colour, impressive height and dramatic shape.

Explore our current British-grown Gladioli and seasonal flowers in the LÖV Flowers collection.

Shop Gladioli →