PBS Forum

So I have grown what was supposed to be G. flanaganii twice from seed.  Both times they grew quite fast, but both times I didn't get to storing the bulbs inside for the winter, and of course, they froze.  (I live in zone 4.)  They didn't bloom (should they have?), consequently, I can't actually say they were true to name.

This third time (all 3 batches from different sources), from the very start they have been growing very slowly.  And now they are all going to put up flowers at such a small size!  The only difference I can think of is that this time I started them in early March under lights (15hrs light/9hrs dark) until I could bring them out in late April.  The first two batches I started outside in May.   Could they be sensitive to night length?  Temperature?

I have found that all of the gladiolus species I have are about the size of yours. They lack the large size the popular hybrids have. They can also last a shorter amount of time and have fewer buds. Given all that, I still wouldn't trade them for those others.

Yes, size and rather slow growing looks normal for Gladiolus flanaganii

Flower Colors:	red
Climate:	summer rain climate

to me - I've also got a first bloomer from seed here. But I have to disagree with Wylie: sizes in Gladiolus vary a lot - from personal experience: Gladiolus dalenii

Flower Colors:	red, yellow, green, patterned
Climate:	summer rain climate

is about the size of a garden Gladiolus (and a main ancestor). Both Gladiolus tristis

Height:	45-80 cm (1.5-2.6 ft)
Flower Colors:	white, yellow
Flower Season:	early spring to mid spring
Life form:	deciduous corm
Climate:	winter rain climate, USDA Zone 8-9

and Gladiolus splendens

Flower Colors:	red
Climate:	winter rain climate

are bigger plants than G. flanaganii, though splendens has smaller individual flowers. and e.g. Gladiolus carinatus

Flower Colors:	yellow, purple, blue
Climate:	winter rain climate

is for me a lot taller but also more delicate than flanaganii. There are generally no general rules to the size of different Gladiolus.