Are Freesia Bulbs Annuals or Perennials?

Considerations

• Freesias tolerate winters in U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. To keep freesia bulbs for several years, the bulbs are dug up right after a killing frost and dried for two weeks. Store the bulbs in a dry area at 35 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Warning

• Freesia bulbs act like annuals if not over-wintered indoors in cold climates. If the bulbs freeze in the ground during the winter, then the bulbs rot after the ground thaws out. The freesia flowers will have to be planted again from newly purchased bulbs.

History

• Freesias originate from southern Africa where the rainfall occurs mainly during the winter. Freesias tend to naturalize in coastal areas without freezing temperatures. This flowering bulb invades favorable landscapes and continues in the wild as a perennial flower.