About

Gladiolus 'Amsterdam' is a tall variety, reaching heights of approximately 1 to 1.5 meters. It features elongated, sword-shaped green leaves and produces an upright flower spike that typically holds 12 to 15 buds. Once fully open, the flowers display a clean, bright white color accented by a subtly creamy-white throat. This gladiolus offers robust, vertical blooms that enhance summer gardens.

About the genus

Gladiolus are perennial plants that grow from corms, featuring clusters of long, narrow leaves resembling swords. They produce tall flower spikes adorned with funnel-shaped blooms.

Growing conditions

Sunlight
Full sun, Partial shade
Soil type
Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moisture
Moist but well-drained, Well-drained
Aspect
South-facing, West-facing, East-facing
Exposure
Sheltered
UK hardiness
H3

Plant details

Plant type
Bulbs
Habit
Columnar upright
Foliage
Deciduous
Height
1-1.5 metres
Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height
2-5 years
Suggested uses
City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden, Sub-tropical
Toxicity
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

Care notes

Cultivation
Grow in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun, planting the corms 15cm deep in spring, on a bed of sharp sand to aid drainage; in frost-prone areas, lift when the leaves turn yellow-brown, and store the new corms in a dry, frost-free place until the following spring; in milder areas, add a thick dry mulch over winter
Pruning
No pruning required
Propagation
Propagate by division, separating cormlets when dormant
Pest resistance
May be susceptible to gladiolus thrip, aphids and slugs
Disease resistance
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