Gladiolus 'Desoto' Soft Purple Gladiolus Bulbs | Tall Sword Lily | Pollinator Friendly Summer Blooms

Add elegant color and height to your summer garden with Gladiolus 'Desoto', a classic tall Sword Lily known for its soft lavender-purple blooms and impressive flower spikes. This heirloom favorite produces large, ruffled flowers that open gradually along sturdy stems, creating weeks of vibrant color in garden beds, borders, and fresh-cut bouquets.

Blooming from mid to late summer, 'Desoto' offers beautiful pastel tones that blend effortlessly with cottage gardens, pollinator plantings, and mixed perennial borders. Its graceful spikes attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds while providing exceptional cut flowers for indoor arrangements.

Easy to grow and highly rewarding, Gladiolus 'Desoto' is an excellent choice for gardeners seeking reliable summer color and stunning floral displays.

Key Features

• Soft lavender-purple flower spikes
• Tall stems ideal for cutting gardens
• Excellent cut flower with long vase life
• Attracts butterflies and pollinators
• Thrives in full sun
• Easy-to-grow spring-planted corm
• Perfect for bouquets and floral arrangements
• Long-lasting summer blooms

Plant Details

• Botanical Name: Gladiolus 'Desoto'
• Common Name: Sword Lily
• Plant Type: Perennial Bulb (Corm)
• Flower Color: Soft Purple / Lavender
• Foliage Color: Green
• Mature Height: 42–60 Inches
• Spread: 6–12 Inches
• Growth Habit: Upright Clumping
• Bloom Season: Mid to Late Summer
• Light Requirements: Full Sun
• Water Needs: Average
• Soil Requirements: Well-Drained Soil
• Hardiness Zones: 7–10 (Lift corms in colder climates)
• Characteristics: Deer Resistant, Pollinator Friendly, Long Blooming, Excellent Cut Flower

Garden Uses

Cut flower gardens
Cottage gardens
Pollinator gardens
Perennial borders
Mass plantings
Backyard bouquet gardens
Sunny landscape beds
Floral design gardens

Companion Plants

Pair Gladiolus 'Desoto' with:

• White Prosperity Gladiolus
• Salvia
• Echinacea
• Lavender
• Yarrow
• Shasta Daisy
• Rudbeckia
• Ornamental Grasses

The soft lavender blooms create beautiful combinations with white, yellow, pink, and deep purple flowering plants.

Planting & Care

• Plant corms in spring after danger of frost has passed
• Plant 4–6 inches deep and 4–6 inches apart
• Choose a location with full sun
• Water regularly during active growth
• Stake flower spikes if needed in windy locations
• Deadhead spent blooms for a tidy appearance
• Leave foliage intact until it naturally dies back
• Lift and store corms in colder climates below Zone 7

For continuous blooms throughout summer, plant additional corms every two weeks until early summer.

Shipping Information

Plant Condition

• Ships as healthy bareroot corms ready for planting

Shipping Notes

• Orders begin shipping in MARCH
• Carefully packaged for safe delivery
• Free USPS Ground shipping on qualifying orders over $35
• Shipping may be delayed during extreme weather conditions to protect plant health

Care Guarantee

We guarantee healthy bulbs upon arrival. If your order arrives damaged, contact us within 48 hours with photos of the plant and packaging for a replacement or refund.