Gladiolus serpenticola is an easy plant to grow and can be propagated in spring using corms and seeds. It is a frost-sensitive plant.

Plant Gladiolus serpenticola corms at the beginning of spring, two weeks before the last frost date, 15 to 15 cm apart and 5 to 15 cmdeep depending to the size of the corm, in a well-drained soil using a combination of loam soil and sandy soil, mixed with well-rotted compos or organic fertilizer. Do not use a heavy soil or let them get too wet, or the corm will rot. Water the plant once a week after planting, for only one month, after that it should survive with rain water. At Lowveld National Botanical Garden it is planted in a rocky area in full sun and it does very well. This plant species does best in full sun, if it is planted in a partly shaded spot, it will have flowers but the colour will not be as vibrant as the ones which are planted in full sun. Gladiolus serpenticola hates weeds, if there are weeds where you plant them it’s better to remove them before planting. This plant species does not require pruning and its maintenance requirements are low, once planted they can be left alone.

Gladiolus serpenticola can be planted together in a flower bed with Freesia grandiflora, it works well because it flowers in summer and Freesia grandiflora is a winter-flowering plant, so the flower bed will be lively and colourful throughout the year. It is well suited to bushveld and grassland gardens.

Seeds should be collected when the seed pods are getting dry and starting to split open. Fill up the seed tray with potting soil mixed with washed river sand. Pat down the soil, add more soil if needed to fill the tray to 2.5 cm below the top. Sow the seeds over the surface of the potting soil, sprinkle them evenly across the tray, cover the seeds with fine soil then place the seed tray in a warm area under a shade net. Always keep the soil moist, water the seeds twice a week with overhead sprinklers or watering can. Germination will take place in about 10 to 21 days. The emerging seedlings will resemble blades of grass. Transplant them in spring or summer into 1 litre bags when they are 10 cm long and place them in a warm area under a shade net in the nursery, and water the seedlings once a week.

Gladiolus serpenticola can be used as bedding plant, mixed bed plant, herbaceous border plant and container plant.

Gladiolus serpenticola is affected by thrips, pesticides are used to control them.