Plant half-hardy hybrid gladiolus corms directly outside in mid to late spring, or start them under cover earlier. Hardy naturalising types, including Gladiolus byzantinus, can be planted in autumn or spring. Always plant corms during the season in which they arrive.
Out of season
Gladiolus
'Bibi'
sword lily
Plant Gladiolus 'Bibi' and watch it sparkle like a charm in your summer planting scheme. Those almost neon pink blooms are as bright and cheerful as can be. They make an impact from a distance with their glowing colour, and close up you can admire its gloriously abstract details. Speckled markings make each bloom unique and fascinating—Gladiolus 'Bibi' are a joy to have in the border but it’s a good idea to plant a good number of them because it’s hard to resist snipping some of these fabulous flower spikes to pop into a handmade posy.
More petite in size than many other gladioli, Gladiolus tubergenii 'Bibi' is a more dainty character which reaches a height of around 70cm. Starry blooms adorn its upright flower stems, and these wand-like stems provide a vertical structure in a mixed border which contrasts beautifully with bushy perennials, shrubs and ornamental grasses. Plant Gladiolus 'Bibi' in groups to create bright pockets of colour, or dot them around between other plants like little highlights.
Quantity
Plant profile
Plant calendar
Grow gladioli in full sun, in a sheltered border or large patio container. They need free-draining conditions, so improve heavy soil with organic matter and grit or plant into a raised bed. For containers, use peat-free multipurpose compost.
Position each corm with its pointed side facing upwards, around 10–15cm deep. Space them approximately 10cm apart when planting in groups. A generous cluster creates a fuller display and allows the flower spikes to offer one another some support.
Water thoroughly after planting, then allow the soil to become nearly dry between waterings while the corms remain dormant. Once shoots appear, water regularly throughout active growth, particularly during warm, dry weather and when growing gladioli in containers.
Most gladioli remain upright without help, although staking is useful in exposed or windy positions. Remove faded flower spikes just above the foliage, then leave the leaves to die back naturally. They can be cut down to ground level in autumn.
Lift half-hardy hybrid gladiolus corms in autumn and store them somewhere cool, dry and frost free. These varieties often give their strongest display in their first year. Hardy naturalising gladioli can remain outdoors where the soil drains freely and does not become waterlogged.
- Botanical name
- Gladiolus tubergenii 'Bibi'
- Flower colour
- Pink, white
- Corm size
- 10/+
- Established height
- 50-70cm
- Established spread
- 10-20cm
- Growing skill
- Easy to grow
- Habit
- Upright
- Hardiness
- Half hardy
- Leaf colour
- Green
- Mouse resistant
- No
- Plant spacing
- 30 corms per m2
- Pollinator friendly
- No
- Position
- Sheltered
- Rabbit resistant
- No
- Scented
- No
- Soil acidity
- Any
- Soil moisture
- Free draining
- Soil type
-
Loam
Sandy
Stony
Multipurpose compost
Loam-based compost - Suitable for
-
Pots
Borders
Coastal gardens
Gravel gardens
Cottage gardens
Cut flower Gardens
Large containers - Sunlight
- Full sun
- Toxicity
- No report
- Years to establish
- 1st year
Good for cutting
Perfect for pots
Pollinator-friendly
Thrives in full sun
Perennial
Packed in paper
Low maintenance
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