Create Your Garden

Gladiolus ‘Little Darling’ (Sword-Lily)

Sword Lily 'Little Darling', Hardy Gladiolus 'Little Darling', Miniature Gladiolus 'Little Darling', Gladiolus Primulinus 'Little Darling'

Sword Lily 'Little Darling', Hardy Gladiolus 'Little Darling', dwarf glad Little Darling, glaieul Little Darling, Miniature Gladiolus 'Little Darling', Gladiolus primulinus 'Little Darling'
Sword Lily 'Little Darling', Hardy Gladiolus 'Little Darling', dwarf glad Little Darling, glaieul Little Darling, Miniature Gladiolus 'Little Darling', Gladiolus primulinus 'Little Darling'

Gladiolus ‘Little Darling’ features glowing salmon to rose-pink flowers with a lemon yellow center. Its long-lasting and eye-catching flowers (up to 16 buds per stem, 5 or 6 open) grow on loose spikes (2-3 spikes per corm) that are adorned with narrow, deep-green sword-shaped leaves. Spectacular on its own, in the garden or in a vase! Since the flowers open from the bottom of the spike up, sword-lilies provide a long-lasting floral display, each flowering spike blooming for up to two weeks.

  • Grows up to 36-42 in. tall (90-105 cm). The bigger the corm, the more chance it will produce larger plants and more spectacular flowers.
  • Best flowering occurs in full sun in humusy, medium moisture, well-drained soils. This plant adapts to a wide range of soils except clay. Provide consistent moisture during the growing season and do not allow the soil to dry out. After flowering, you may reduce watering.
  • Ideal for cutting, this sword-lilies deserve a prime spot in beds, borders and are well suited for containers.
  • Sword-Lilies bloom for 2 weeks or so. To extend their colorful show, you may plant them every two weeks from the last frost date until early summer. It typically takes 10-12 weeks from planting to flowering.
  • Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.

Learn How To Plant, Care and Grow Impressive Gladiolus Flowers


Prized for their majestic flower spikes, are popular flower bulbs. Whether used in borders, containers or as cut flowers, Gladiolus (Sword-Lilies) always provide a spectacular effect with their rich and cheerful colors and their breathtaking vertical lines. With very little work needed, they will burst into bloom and add bright notes of summer color to the garden, in your pots or inside your home. However, some basic rules need to be followed to enjoy beautiful and impressive flowers for several months.

Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 9
Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1
Plant Type Bulbs
Plant Family Iridaceae
Genus Gladiolus
Common names Gladiolus, Sword-Lily
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early)
Height 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread 3" - 4" (8cm - 10cm)
Spacing 4" (10cm)
Depth 4" (10cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Traditional Garden, Informal and Cottage
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Gladiolus (Sword Lily)
Not sure which Gladiolus (Sword Lily) to pick?
Compare Now

Alternative Plants to Consider

Gladiolus ‘Tricolore’ (Sword Lily)
Gladiolus ‘Volcano’ (Sword Lily)
Gladiolus ‘Charming Lady’ (Sword Lily)
Gladiolus ‘Her Majesty’ (Sword Lily)
Gladiolus tristis (Marsh Afrikaner)
Gladiolus ‘Vista’ (Sword Lily)

Recommended Companion Plants

Liatris spicata (Blazing Star)
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora ‘George Davison’
Dahlia ‘Mystery Day’
Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena)
Agapanthus (African Lily)
Persicaria amplexicaulis (Mountain Fleece)

Find In One of Our Guides or Gardens

Top 50 Most Beautiful Flowers Worldwide
57 Red Flowers for Every Garden Style
54 Orange Flowers To Brighten Up Your Garden with Bold Blooms
42 Green Flowers for Your Garden or Bouquets
54 Black Flowers and Plants: Add Drama to Your Garden
45 Yellow Flowers: Radiant Blooms for Every Season
26 Terrific Summer Bulbs to Grow in your Garden or Pots
August Birth Flower: What is my Birth Flower?
Popular Flower Bulbs For Your Garden and Pots
Gladiolus (Sword-Lily)
Learn How To Plant, Care and Grow Impressive Gladiolus Flowers
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Buy Plants

Requirements

Hardiness 8 - 11
Heat Zones 1 - 9
Climate Zones 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, H1
Plant Type Bulbs
Plant Family Iridaceae
Genus Gladiolus
Common names Gladiolus, Sword-Lily
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Summer (Early)
Height 3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)
Spread 3" - 4" (8cm - 10cm)
Spacing 4" (10cm)
Depth 4" (10cm)
Maintenance Low
Water Needs Average
Soil Type Chalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pH Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Rabbit
Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles City and Courtyard, Traditional Garden, Informal and Cottage
How Many Plants
Do I Need?
Explore Great Plant Combination Ideas
Gladiolus (Sword Lily)
Not sure which Gladiolus (Sword Lily) to pick?
Compare Now

Gardening Ideas

Plant Calculator

How many Gladiolus ‘Little Darling’ (Sword-Lily) do I need for my garden?

Input your garden space dimensions

Your Shopping List

Plant Quantity
Gladiolus ‘Little Darling’ (Sword-Lily) N/A Buy Plants

Please Login to Proceed

You Have Reached The Free Limit, Please Subscribe to Proceed

Subscribe to Gardenia

To create additional collections, you must be a paid member of Gardenia
  • Add as many plants as you wish
  • Create and save up to 25 garden collections
Become a Member

Plant Added Successfully

You have Reached Your Limit

To add more plants, you must be a paid member of our site Become a Member

Update Your Credit
Card Information

Cancel

Create a New Collection

Sign Up to Our Newsletter

    You have been subscribed successfully

    Join Gardenia.net

    Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

    Join now and start creating your dream garden!

    Join Gardenia.net

    Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

    Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

    Join now and start creating your dream garden!

    Find your Hardiness Zone

    Find your Heat Zone

    Find your Climate Zone