The good kind of gladioluses should respond the following international standards:
| Flower diameter | The number of buds in an inflorescence is not less than | at once | Stem length from a surface of soil up to lower flower | |
| opened flowers | coloured buds | |||
| under 2.5” (6 cm) | 15 | 5 | 6 | max. 16.9” (43 cm) |
| 2.5”-3.5” (6 - 9 cm) | 18 | 6 | 5 | max. 18.1” (46 cm) |
| 3.5”-4.5” (9 - 12 cm) | 19 | 7 | 5 | max. 20” (51 cm) |
| 4.5”-5.5” (12 - 14 cm) | 20 | 8 | 6 | max. 20” (51 cm) |
| 5.5” (14 cm) or larger | 19 | 7 | 5 | max. 22” (56 cm) |
It means, that a stem of a kind with code 400 (the large-flowered gladiolus) should consist not less than from 20 buds, from which ones at once should be open not less than 8, and for following 6 buds should be coloured. Stem length thus should be no more than 20”. It is the most minimum requirements, which one there should respond a good gladiolus to. It also should have whenever possible greatest disease resistance and unfavorable weather conditions: for not too good kinds flowers can burn out on the sun and lose the colour or cover by bands and maculae after a rain or even dews. Also the flower should strongly fasten to the stem. To all these requirements should respond the flower brought up from a corm with diameter 1.18” or larger in the open soil, in normal summer.
© Irina Antipina, 2003-2012
