Can a Gladiolus Grow Indoors?

A healthy, indoor gladiolus produces flower spikes with coloful flowers.

A gladiolus is a garden plant grown for its colorful flowers. Many gladiolus flowers are cut after they bloom and used as bouquets or kept in vases. The gladiolus can be grown indoors by selecting the right size corm and media.

Corms

The gladiolus has corms that need to be planted in a media with good drainage and a pH of 6.0 to 6.5. Indoor container gardening will require a sandy loam media that doesn't compact (which slows root growth).

Corm Size

Corm sizes will determine the size of the plant produced as well as the flower spike. The jumbo corms are about 2 inches in diameter and produce the largest plants. The smallest corm is 3/8 to 1/2 inch and produces a smaller plant with smaller flower spikes about 2-1/2 to 3-1/2 inches in diameter, which are ideal for indoor container growing.

Healthy Corms

Healthy corms must be selected to grow plants and flowers to their maximum size. The corm must be firm and should have a smooth husk. Healthy corms will produce healthy plants indoors for up to six years, which are the most productive years for a gladiolus.

References

• Kansas State University Extension: Gladiolus
• University of Missouri Extension: Summer Flowering Bulbs: Gladiolus