Sword Lily Gladiolus 'Atom' (S/p)

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Hard-care

ABOUT

Gladiolus 'Atom' is a vibrant and eye-catching perennial featuring tall spikes adorned with striking trumpet-shaped flowers. The blossoms are an intense red color, edged with a delicate white margin which gives them a distinct, crisp appearance. Each flower spike carries multiple blooms that open successively from the bottom upwards, creating an extended display of color. The sword-like foliage is an attractive and glossy green, forming a striking contrast with the bright flowers. The overall impression is one of both elegance and drama, which makes this plant a popular choice for cut flower arrangements and as a showy addition to garden borders and beds. Its bold hues and distinctive flower form make it a highlight in any floral or garden setting.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Iridaceae
- Synonyms
  Sword Lily, Gladiolus Atom
- Common names
  Gladiolus 'Atom'
Toxicity
- To humans
  Gladioli, including Gladiolus 'Atom', are not commonly considered highly toxic to humans. However, they can cause mild irritation to sensitive individuals. Ingesting any part of the plant, particularly the corms (the bulb-like structures), may result in symptoms such as throat irritation, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. It's important to seek medical attention if ingestion occurs and symptoms manifest.
- To pets
  Gladioli are known to be toxic to pets, particularly cats and dogs. If a pet ingests any part of a gladiolus plant, they could experience symptoms such as drooling, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, lethargy, and possibly tremors. The severity of the symptoms can depend on the amount ingested. The corms are particularly toxic. If you suspect your pet has ingested gladiolus, it's important to contact a veterinarian immediately.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Red
- Height
  2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 meters)
- Spread
  6-12 inches (15-30 centimeters)
- Plant type
  Bulb
- Hardiness zones
  7
- Native area
  South Africa

Benefits

General Benefits
- Visual Appeal: Adds striking color with its red flowers edged in white, enhancing the beauty of garden spaces.
- Landscape Versatility: Suits a variety of garden styles, including cottage gardens and formal beds.
- Cut Flowers: Long-lasting blooms are ideal for cutting and creating vibrant indoor arrangements.
- Vertical Interest: Tall spikes add height and structure to planting designs, offering a vertical element.
- Seasonal Color: Offers a burst of summer color when many spring flowers have faded.
- Easy Propagation: Can be easily propagated through corms, allowing gardeners to expand their collection or share with others.
- Attracts Pollinators: Draws in bees and butterflies, supporting local ecosystems and pollination of other plants.
- Seasonal Bulb: Being a bulb, it can be planted in autumn or spring, providing flexibility in gardening schedules.
- Drought Tolerance: Once established, it is relatively drought-resistant, making it suitable for areas with water restrictions.
- Decorative Borders: Ideal for border plantings due to its tall, linear growth habit.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Artistic Inspiration: The striking appearance of Gladiolus 'Atom' can inspire artists and photographers, making it a subject for paintings, drawings, and photography projects.
- Education: Horticulturalists and botany educators can use the Gladiolus 'Atom' to teach about plant biology, hybridization, and flower structure.
- Culinary Garnish: Although not commonly known for edibility, the petals of Gladiolus 'Atom' can be used as a decorative and edible garnish on certain dishes, after ensuring they are free from pesticides.
- Fashion Accessories: The bright red-orange flowers with silver-white edges can be crafted into corsages, hairpieces, or other fashion accessories for special occasions.
- Color Dye: The pigment from the petals of Gladiolus 'Atom' might be used to naturally dye fabrics, though this is an unconventional use and effectiveness can vary.
- Mood Enhancement: The bright blossoms can uplift the ambiance of a room, potentially improving mood and well-being through their aesthetic appeal.
- Marker for Seasonal Changes: Gardeners may use Gladiolus 'Atom' as a natural indicator of the summer season, as they typically bloom from mid-summer to early fall.
- Perfumery: While not common, the essence of the flower could potentially be explored for its use in creating bespoke fragrances.
- Event Theming: The Gladiolus 'Atom' can be used as part of a color scheme for events or celebrations, especially those with vintage or retro themes due to its classic charm.
- Floral Art: The height and structure of the Gladiolus 'Atom' stalk makes it ideal for creating elaborate floral art installations or centerpieces.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The Gladiolus is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The Gladiolus is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Strength and Integrity: Derived from the Latin word "gladius", meaning sword, Gladiolus commonly symbolizes strength and moral integrity, reflecting the plant's sword-shaped leaves.
- Infatuation: Giving someone a Gladiolus can convey infatuation or even admiration, implying that the person pierces the giver's heart with passion.
- Remembrance: It is also associated with remembrance and faithfulness, suggesting a deep, lasting memory or tribute to someone.
- Honor: The Gladiolus is known to symbolize honor and is often given to show respect or recognition for someone's accomplishments.
- Victory: As Gladiolus was associated with gladiators, it can represent victory, especially after overcoming difficult challenges.

💧

Every 7 to 10 days

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every year

Repotting

🌱️

Spring to Summer

Propogation

✂️️

Not needed

Pruning

Water
Sword lilies, including Gladiolus 'Atom', should be watered deeply once a week, providing about 1 to 2 gallons of water per plant during the growing season. During periods of rainfall, reduce watering to avoid waterlogging. Allow the soil to dry out somewhat between waterings, as gladioli prefer well-drained conditions. Overwatering can cause bulb rot, so it’s important to ensure the soil is not consistently soggy. During hot, dry spells, water may be needed more frequently to keep the soil evenly moist.
Light
Sword lilies thrive best in full sun, requiring at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Position the Gladiolus 'Atom' in a spot where it receives unfiltered sunlight for the majority of the day. These plants perform best when they are not shaded by buildings or other plants, as ample sunlight is crucial for the development of vibrant, robust blooms.
Temperature
Sword lilies prefer warm conditions and are not cold-hardy, with an ideal temperature range between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They can survive minimal frost but strong freezes can kill the plant. For the Gladiolus 'Atom', temperatures below 28 degrees Fahrenheit can be detrimental to the bulbs, so proper storage or mulching through the winter is necessary in colder zones to ensure their survival.
Pruning
Pruning sword lilies involves deadheading spent blooms to encourage continued flowering and to prevent the plant from using energy to form seed pods. After flowering is completed for the season, cut the flower stalks back to about 2 to 3 inches above the ground. Pruning is best done during the active growing season, after the last blooms have faded.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The best soil mix for the Sword Lily, commonly known as Gladiolus 'Atom', is well-draining soil with a mix of loam, sand, and compost. A neutral to slightly acidic pH of 6.0 to 6.5 is ideal for optimal growth.
Repotting
Sword Lilies typically do not need repotting as they are not grown in pots long-term; instead, their corms should be lifted annually after foliage has died back.
Humidity & Misting
Sword Lilies thrive in moderate humidity levels but are quite adaptable and do not require high humidity to grow well.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place Gladiolus 'Atom' in bright light, ensuring a well-draining mix.
- Outdoor
  Plant corms in well-drained soil; full sun is essential for sword lilies.
- Hardiness zone
  7-10 USDA
Life cycle
The life of Gladiolus 'Atom' (Sword Lily) begins with the planting of its corms in the spring, after the danger of frost has passed. These corms then sprout and develop into tall, linear leaves followed by a flowering stalk. The flowers typically bloom from the bottom up in mid to late summer, displaying vivid red flowers with white edges that attract pollinators for reproduction. After flowering, the plant enters a period of photosynthesis to store energy back in the corm for the next growing season. Once the foliage dies back in the fall, the corms can be dug up, dried, and stored over the winter in a frost-free location. The next growing season begins by planting the corms again, with the potential for the corm to produce offsets, or "daughter corms," which can be separated to propagate new plants.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring to Summer
- The Gladiolus 'Atom', also known as Sword Lily, is most commonly propagated through corm division, typically performed in the spring after the threat of frost has passed. For propagation, the corms, which are the swollen underground storage organs of the plant, are unearthed and any new small cormlets that have formed around the base of the parent corm are gently separated. It's important to ensure that each cormlet has at least one bud or eye from which the new plant will grow. Once separated, the cormlets can be planted immediately around 3 to 4 inches deep (about 7.6 to 10.2 centimeters) and spaced approximately 5 inches apart (roughly 12.7 centimeters). This method is straightforward as it allows for the Sword Lily's genetic characteristics to be reliably passed on, resulting in new plants that are true to the parent in form and coloration.