Gladiolus Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' (Min)

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Hard-care

ABOUT

The Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' is an ornamental plant known for its striking and colorful flowers. The blooms are arranged on a spike-like inflorescence that proudly rises from the foliage below. Each flower presents an intriguing mix of both bold and pastel colors, often showcasing a vibrant combination such as deep pink with a throat of paler shades or perhaps contrasting white markings. The shape of the flowers is funnel-like, flaring out to broad, rounded petals that sometimes exhibit ruffled or gently wavy edges, adding to their intricate appearance. The leaves of the Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' are sword-shaped, creating a vertical aspect and a pleasing green background that contrasts with the vivid floral display. These leaves are typically glossy or have a matte surface texture and emanate directly from the base of the plant, creating a fan-like form. The overall visual effect of the Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' is one of elegance and vibrant color, making it a popular choice for gardeners seeking to add a splash of beauty to their floral collections.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Iridaceae
- Synonyms
  Sword Lily, Gladiolus, Glads
- Common names
  Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' (Min)
Toxicity
- To humans
  Gladiolus, including the variety 'Flevo Vito,' is not generally considered highly toxic to humans. However, they can cause mild symptoms if ingested. The corms, or bulb-like structures, are the most likely part to cause problems and if consumed, can lead to symptoms such as throat irritation, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Ingesting parts of the gladiolus plant is not typically life-threatening, but it is advisable to seek medical attention if symptoms occur, especially in children and individuals with plant allergies, as a precautionary measure.
- To pets
  Gladiolus plants, including the 'Flevo Vito' variety, can be toxic to pets if ingested. The corms of the gladiolus are particularly concerning. If a pet, such as a dog or cat, eats parts of a gladiolus plant, it may experience symptoms like drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy. While the toxicity level is considered to be mild to moderate, it is important to keep an eye on pets and to seek veterinary assistance if they develop symptoms after ingesting this plant, as prompt treatment may be needed.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Perennials
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Red
- Height
  2-3 feet (60-90 cm)
- Spread
  1 foot (30 cm)
- Plant type
  Bulb
- Hardiness zones
  7
- Native area
  South Africa

Benefits

General Benefits
- Enhanced Visual Appeal: The Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' adds vibrant color and dramatic height to garden settings, making it a visually striking addition.
- Easy to Grow: This variety of gladiolus is relatively easy to cultivate, requiring minimal maintenance, which is perfect for novice gardeners.
- Attracts Pollinators: The blossoms attract bees and butterflies, promoting pollination and helping sustain a healthy ecosystem within the garden.
- Cut Flower Usage: The long stems and beautiful flowers of the gladiolus make it an ideal choice for creating stunning and long-lasting floral arrangements.
- Versatility in Landscaping: Can be used in a variety of garden designs, including borders, container planting, and as a focal point in beds.
- Seasonal Interest: Blooms in the summer adding a splash of color to gardens at a time when many other plants may not be in bloom.
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
- Photography Subjects: Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' provides a vibrant backdrop for photographers seeking to capture the beauty of flowers and nature in their work.
- Artistic Inspiration: The striking colors and patterns of the Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' can serve as an inspiration for artists and designers across various mediums.
- Edible Decorations: Individual petals of the Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito', though not commonly consumed, can be used as edible decorations for cakes and pastries after ensuring they are free of pesticides.
- Crafting: Dried Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' flowers can be used in crafting projects such as making bookmarks, greeting cards, or potpourri.
- Educational Tool: This plant can be used to teach botany students about plant growth, reproduction, and hybridization techniques.
- Fashion Accessory: Fresh or dried Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' stems can be incorporated into fashion accessories like hairpieces or boutonnieres.
- Color Dye: The vibrant petals can potentially be used to create natural dyes for fabrics or art projects.
- Spiritual Symbolism: In some cultures, gladiolus flowers are used in spiritual or religious ceremonies as a symbol of strength and integrity.
- Garden Companions: Plant gladiolus among vegetables like tomatoes or peppers to provide aesthetic appeal and attract pollinators to the garden.
- Seasonal Festivities: Incorporate Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' in seasonal festival decorations due to their bright and showy appearance.

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 of character: Gladiolus, derived from the Latin word "gladius" meaning sword, symbolizes strength, integrity, and the ability to overcome challenges.
- Infatuation: Giving someone a gladiolus can signify a strong infatuation or admiration for that person, conveying a heartfelt attraction.
- Honor and remembrance: Often used in ceremonies to honor individuals, the gladiolus signifies the remembrance and appreciation of someone's contribution or life.
- Moral integrity: It's a flower frequently associated with ethical and moral strength, suggesting uprightness and honesty.
- Persistence and determination: The gladiolus embodies the drive to persist in the face of adversity and to pursue one's goals relentlessly.

💧

Every 7-10 days

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every 2-3 years

Repotting

🌱️

Spring to Summer

Propogation

✂️️

Not needed

Pruning

Water
Sword lilies, like the Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito', should be watered deeply once a week, providing about 1 inch of water which is approximately 0.623 gallons per square foot. During hot, dry spells, you may need to water them more frequently. The water should reach the roots, encouraging deep growth, without oversaturating the soil, as gladiolus prefer well-draining conditions. It is crucial to avoid watering the foliage directly to prevent disease. In particularly rainy climates, you may need to reduce the amount of supplemental watering to match natural precipitation levels.
Light
Sword lilies thrive in full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. The best spot for Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' is an area where they can receive uninterrupted sun exposure throughout the day. They can tolerate a bit of partial shade, but too much can lead to weak stems and fewer blooms.
Temperature
Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito', or sword lilies, grow best in temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. They are hardy to zone 7 and can survive minimum temperatures of 20 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit, but they flourish during the warm summer months. Exposure to temperatures outside this range, either too hot or too cold, can impede their growth and flowering.
Pruning
Pruning sword lilies, such as Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito', involves removing spent flower spikes to encourage the plant to focus energy on the remaining blooms or the development of new spikes. Pruning should be done as the flowers fade, typically in late summer or early fall. It's not necessary to prune regularly, just when the flowers are spent or the foliage starts to yellow and die back after flowering.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
The best soil mix for Gladiator Flower (Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito') is well-drained, loamy or sandy soil enriched with organic matter. The ideal pH for this plant is slightly acidic to neutral, from 6.0 to 7.0. It is important to ensure good drainage to prevent corm rot.
Repotting
Gladiator Flowers typically do not require repotting as they are grown from corms that are planted annually. After flowering, corms are dug up, dried, and stored for the next season.
Humidity & Misting
Gladiator Flowers prefer moderate humidity levels to thrive. They do not require extremely high humidity environments; normal outdoor humidity is generally sufficient for their growth.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place in well-lit area with soil drainage.
- Outdoor
  Full sun, well-draining soil, protect from strong winds.
- Hardiness zone
  7-10 USDA
Life cycle
The life of Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito' begins with the planting of corms in well-drained soil during spring, after the threat of frost has passed. The corms will sprout and produce sword-shaped leaves, eventually developing a tall flower spike with multiple buds. These blossoms will open successively from the bottom up over several days to weeks during the summer. After flowering, the plant will undergo a period of photosynthesis to replenish the corm for the next season. The foliage will eventually yellow and die back, at which point the corms enter dormancy, surviving underground during the colder months. In the following spring, the cycle begins anew with the corm sprouting fresh growth and progressing once again towards flowering.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring to Summer
- Gladiolus 'Flevo Vito', commonly known as Miniature Gladiolus, is typically propagated by dividing corms. The best time to propagate this plant is in the spring after all danger of frost has passed. To propagate, you should carefully lift the corms from the soil after the foliage has died back post-flowering, which usually happens in the fall. Separate the newly formed cormlets from the base of the parent corm. These cormlets will have developed on the bottom of the mature corm and should be carefully snapped off and allowed to dry for a few days. Once dry, store the cormlets in a cool, dry place over winter and plant them in well-draining soil at a depth of about 4 inches (10 centimeters) when the temperature and soil conditions are right in the spring. This method of asexual reproduction ensures that the new plants will be genetically identical to the parent plant.