Information on Perennial Bulb Plants

Types

• Perennial bulb plants blossom spring through fall. Spring-flowering perennial bulbs include Grecian windflowers (Anemone blanda), checker lilies (Fritillaria meleagris) and Siberian squills (Scilla siberica). Perennial bulbs like solider-in-the-box (Albuca), butterfly tulip (Calochortus) and foxtail lily (Eremurus) bloom in the summer. Autumn-blossoming perennial bulbs are autumn crocus (Colchicum autumnale), hardy begonias (Begonia grandis) and tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa).

Growing Conditions

• Perennial bulbs need time to stabilize their root systems, so plant spring- and summer-flowering bulbs in the fall and autumn-blossoming bulbs in the spring. Perennial bulb plants usually require a period of cold to establish the blooming cycle of the plant; however, some species in the southern United States do not need chilling. Plants that produce foliage with few flowers may require division.

Uses

• Spring-flowering perennial bulbs provide early color for the garden, while non-bulb plants are still developing. Minor bulbs are plants ideal for gardens with confined spaces, since they take up less room than large bulb plants. Florists sell perennial bulb plants as container plants for ornamental use in the home.