Shoot cultures of Gladiolus cultivar Friendship , initiated from axillary buds, exhibited best elongation on liquid Murashige and Skoog's medium (MS) containing 0.5 mg 1 - 1 BAP, in light. On liquid MS medium containing 6% sucrose, in light, 96% shoots formed corms measuring 19.6 mm across and with a fresh weight of 2767 mg. Except for their small size, the in vitro formed corms were comparable with those formed in vivo. Cytokinins (6-benzylaminopurine, kinetin), abscisic acid, CCC, gibberellic acid or activated charcoal either inhibited or had no effect on corm formation. The in vitro formed corms of cultivars Friendship , Gold Finch's and Her Majesty , treated at 5°C for 8 weeks showed 100% germination in the field. The micropropagated plants were morphologically and cytologically comparable to the control plants raised from in vivo formed corms.