Experiments were conducted for two seasons to determine the growth and flowering abilities of high and low crowned gladiolus corms of nine varieties distributed among the primulinus, grandiflorus and primulinus grandiflorus types. Chemical analyses were run on high and low crowned mother corms of the variety Excellence grown in the field and in the darkness, to determine whether any differences in sugars, polysaccharides and nitrogen might be associated with any differences in growth and flowering. Samples were taken at several stages of growth and during two seasons.