Alternative Hardy Spring Flowering Bulbs
Dennis Morgeson Agent for Horticulture Washington County
Categories
• Bulbs, Tubers, Corms, Tuberous roots, rhizomes, fleshy roots
Hardy Bulbs • Will tolerate and often require periods of cold temperature to produce reliable flowers • Plant in the fall and bloom the following spring or summer
Bulb Species Introduced into England Year
Common Name
Country of Origin
1562
Tulip
Turkey
1570
Canna
Tropical America
1570
English Iris
Pyrenees
1576
Trumpet Narcissus
Spain
1594
Ballhead Onion
Europe to Iran
1596
Hyacinth
Balkans, N Africa
1596
Dog-toothed Violet
Europe, Asia
1596
Gladiolus
Mediterranean
1596
Summer Snowflake
Central Europe
1613
Cyclamen
Southern Europe
1629
Tuberose
Mexico
1664
Jack in the Pulpit
North America
True Bulbs • Bulb – underground storage structure with a short stem, fleshy scale leaves in layers, surrounding a bud • Tunicate Bulbs have papery covering • tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, grape hyacinths (muscari), and alliums
Anatomy of a True Bulb
Dividing True Bulbs
Imbricate Bulbs • Does not have papery cover • Must be kept moist before planting • Lilies
Imbricate Bulb
Corm • Corm – Similar to bulbs, buds found on the surface, solid • A swollen stem base that is modified into a mass of storage tissue • does not have visible storage rings when cut in half • gladiolus, crocus, and autumn crocus.
Corm
Tuber • Tuber – enlarged underground stem with latent buds from which plant emerges • Buds near collar or base of stem • No basal plate, no covering • Caladiums, oxalis and anemones, and the potato (The potato does flower!)
Tuberous Root Generally Not Hardy!
Rhizome • Rhizome – enlarged, horizontal stem • Lily of the Valley, iris
Rhizome
Fleshy Roots • Nutrient reserves are stored in the fleshy roots • Daylilies and peonies
Fleshy Roots
Choosing Bulbs • Buy from a reputable dealer • No obvious bruising • Feel firm and “heavy”
Planting • Fertilization -Beware of high nitrogen = excess leaf -Little fertilizer at planting (some bone meal is ok) -3-4 lbs of 5-20-20 per 100 sq. ft. as foliage emerges in spring
Maintenance • Water thoroughly at planting • Winter mulch • Follow specific recommendations regarding depth of planting • Remove blooms but not foliage after flowering • Maintain good soil moisture
Planting Steps
Image credit: Netherland Flower Bulb Information
Large Scale Planting
Alternatives Hardy Bulbs (No Boring Old Tulips or Daffodils Here!)
Alliums
Globemaster
• Few pests • Used as border or cut flowers • Propagation by offsets • Plant in full sun • Some Bulbs are expensive • Alliums offer a wide diversity of color, height, and blooming times. They will tolerate poor garden soil; once established they will naturalize easily. • Alliums are resistant to deer. They make excellent cut flowers.
Alliums-Gladiator • ALLIUMS: Large 6" flowerheads of violet-blue tipped silver on strong 48" stems.
Allium albopilsum (Christophii) • June-flowering Allium with amethyst-pink flowerheads, 8-12" wide set on 24" stems.
Allium - Drumstick • ALLIUMS: Carefree and rewarding! Ball-shaped flower heads of crimson-purple on 2436" stems, flowering in May. Produces a good cut flower that can also be dried. • Alliums offer a wide diversity of color, height, and blooming times. They will tolerate poor garden soil; once established they will naturalize easily. Alliums are resistant to deer. They make excellent cut flowers.
Allium schubertii • Large blooms with small reddishpurple flowers in June-July on 30" stems.
Allium-Fireworks Mixture • A mixture of three allium varieties ('Carinatum', Carinatum 'Album' and 'Flavum') for a unique display. Blooms July, 12-18" tall.
Allium unifolium • Plant these close together and enjoy their beautiful tiny, bright pink, starshaped flowers. Pleasantly fragrant and naturalizes well. 12”-14” tall • Flowers May
Allium - Chameleon • Get lots of colors with just one variety. Its flowers start dark pink then change to shades of pink before turning white. • 12”
Allium obliquum • An unusually-colored allium with lots of small, pale yellowgreen perfectly formed star-shaped flowers. Perfect for pairing with a dark background. • 24”
Allium – Persian Blue • mposing blooms come highly recommended by our Hillegom garden experts. Perfect spheres are actually hundreds of star-shaped purple-blue florets. They create a dazzling effect as they appear to rise almost overnight. Tall allium combine beautifully with hostas and other lowgrowing perennials. • 36”
Crocus spp.
• White, yellow, blue or bicolor flowers in early spring. Some fall blooming species as well • 3-5 inches tall • Few pests • Used as borders • Propagate by offsets • Not a true bulb - corm
Giant Crocus Golden Yellow
Giant Crocus 4”-6” Tall
Giant Crocus Flower Record
Giant Crocus Jeanne d'Arc
Giant Crocus Vanguard
Giant Crocus Pickwick
Species Crocus
Species Crocus Firefly (sieberi)
Species Crocus Orange Monarch
Fall Flowering Crocus
Sternbergia lutea
Crocus speciosus 'Oxonian
Crocus speciosus 'Albus'
Camassia
Camassia leichtlinii
• Season: Fall • Light Requirement: Full Sun, Partial Shade • Height: 27 - 35" • Bloomtime:May June
Camassia Blue Melody • Tall regal spikes of violet blue flowers rise above handsome straplike variegated foliage. Likes damp soil.
Chionodoxa • Light Requirement: Partial Shade • Height: 10 " • Bloomtime: Feb March Chionodoxa luciliae Alba
Dutch Iris
Dutch Iris Eye of the Tiger
• Light Requirement: Full Sun, Partial Shade • Cut Flower • Height: 24 - 28 " • Bloomtime:May June
Dutch Iris Golden Beauty Dutch Iris Mystic Beauty
Dutch Iris Lion King
Blue & White Blend
Bronze Dutch Iris Blend
Juno Iris - Bucharica • Scented multiflowering iris • Well drained soil • Full Sun • Early April
Fritillaria
Fritillaria Imperialis rubra
• Light Requirement: Full Sun, Partial Shade • Deer Resistant • Height:3-4' • Bloomtime: • April - May
Yellow Crown Imperial
Orange Crown Imperial
Imperialis lutea Maxima
Wood Hyacinths • Light Requirement: Full Sun • Height: 15 - 18" • Bloomtime: April May Hyacinthoides Hispanica Blue
Hyacinthoides Hispanica Pink
Original English Bluebells
Hyacinthoides Hispanica White
Hyacinthoides Hispanica Mix
Muscari • Light Requirement:Full Sun, Partial Shade • Deer Resistant • Height: 5 - 6" • Bloomtime: Apr - May Muscari for Naturalizing (Grape Hyacinth)
Muscari
White Magic
Magic Carpet Mix
Plumosum (Feather Hyacinth)
'Pink Sunrise'
Muscari azureum
Blue Squill
• • • • • •
Height: 6 inches Sunlight: Full or Part Bulb Size: 7-8cm Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: Early Depth: 3 inches
White Squill
• • • • • •
Height: 5 inches Sunlight: Full or Part Bulb Size: 8cm Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: Very Early Depth: 3 inches
Striped Squill
• • • • • •
Height: 6 inches Sunlight: Full or Part Bulb Size: 6cm+ Soil: Well drained Bloom Time: Mid Depth: 3 inches
Glory of the Snow
• • • • • •
Height: 4 inches Sunlight: Full or Part Bulb Size: 5cm+ Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: Early Depth: 3 inches
Snowdrops
• • • • • •
Height: 6 inches Sunlight: Part Bulb Size: 6cm+ Soil: Evenly moist Bloom Time: Very Early Depth: 3 inches
Trout Lily
• • • • • •
Height: 10 inches Sunlight: Part Bulb Size: Topsize Soil: Evenly moist Bloom Time: Early-Mid Depth: 4 inches
Winter Wolf’s Bane
• • • • • •
Height: 3 inches Sunlight: Part Bulb Size: 4cm+ Soil: Evenly moist Bloom Time: Very Early Depth: 2 inches
Snakeshead
• • • • • •
Height: 10 inches Sunlight: Part Bulb Size: 6cm+ Soil: Evenly moist Bloom Time: Early-Mid Depth: 4 inches
Snowflake
• • • • • •
Height: 18 inches Sunlight: Full or Part Bulb Size: 12-14cm Soil: Average to wet Bloom Time: Mid Depth: 6 inches
Starflower
• • • • • •
Height: 4 inches Sunlight: Full or Part Bulb Size: 4cm+ Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: Mid Depth: 2 inches
Dichelostemma – Ida Maia Firecracker Flower Color: Red Height: 12" To 24" Origin: United States Flowering Time: Late Spring • Sun vs Shade: Full Sun • Soil Moisture: Average • Zones: 5, 6, 7, 8 • • • •
Windflower/Anemone
• • • • • •
Height: 5 inches Sunlight: Part Bulb Size: 5-7cm Soil: Well-drained Bloom Time: Early-Mid Depth: 2 inches
Landscaping with Bulbs
Common Problems Choose those plants that best fit your site- Match the plant to the site! • Sun/shade • Wet/Dry • Hardscapes, foot traffic • Reflected heat • Size of planting area • Maintenance
Common Problems • Cultural Stress -Moisture -Soil -Maintenance
• Environmental Stress -Temperature -Hardscapes -Microclimate -Pollution
Landscaping with Bulbs • Bulbs-burst of short lived color • Seasonal interest • Hard to grow places
Considerations • Use four season interest • Color combinations • Draw attention to other landscape features • Accents • Coordinate with surroundings
Landscaping with Bulbs for Special Effects • Containers • Accessible Gardening • Raised Beds • Formal vs. Informal
RESOURCES • http://www.extension.uiuc.edu/IPLANT/plant_select/bulbs/bulbs2.htm • http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/bulbs/bulbbasics.html • http://www.sustland.umn.edu/maint/bulbs.html Lots of info and links
What Are You Taking Home?
Hyacinthoides Excelsior Blue
Trout Lily
Dutch Iris Oriental Beauty
Striped Squill
Anemone De Caen
Firecracker Flower
What Are You Taking Home? Juno Iris - Bucharica
Muscari armeniacum (Grape Hyacinth)
Crocus Pickwick
Allium Purple Sensation
Questions?