The Flowers That Start in a Pod & Bloom Every Once in a While

Bulb Perennials

• Bulb perennials start as small, papery bulbs, tubers or rhizomes and grow into small to large plants in spring. The group includes tulips, daffodils, lilies, irises, canna lilies, calla lilies, hyacinths and crocuses, among others. The best bulbs are always firm and lightly moist, with no rot or mildew.

Planting Season

• Different bulb perennials require different plant seasons. Put hardy bulbs like daffodils, tulips and irises in the ground in fall for a cold germination period. Plant sensitive tropical and subtropical bulbs like lilies, hyacinths, callas and cannas in spring after the thaw. Many sensitive bulbs don't survive winter in cold zones and require winter protection through digging up and storage.

Site and Soil

• Bulb perennials require bright sun, good drainage and loose, nutritious soil. Find appropriate sites and turn 5 to 6 inches of organic compost into the top 10 inches of soil to loosen it. Bulbs cannot grow their roots or shoots in tight or poor soil, and they rot in standing water. Give bulb plants bone meal at planting for better root production and give bulb fertilizer every spring for best blooming.

Blooming Seasons

• All bulb perennials follow specific yearly calendars. They produce new growth in spring, bloom once during the season and go dormant for fall and winter. Some plants, like tulips, daffodils and callas, lose all their foliage during this dormancy. Others, like irises and lilies, maintain their foliage without blooming through the winter. All perennials produce new foliage and blooms in the spring.