How to Grow Spring Bulbs in Florida

FLOWER BULBS

Spring Bulbs for Florida
The growing of flower bulbs is easy, fun and rewarding. Flower bulbs add color and beauty to your landscape and patio. Like most plants and shrubs,bulbs (the common term used for bulbs, tubers, rhizomes and corms) need good drainage. Most bulbs do best in morning sun and filtered light, but many also do well in full sun.

AMARYLLIS: MS or FL, P, GC, Bulb
Flower clusters with huge lily-like flowers. Hgt: up to 2 ft. and may require staking. Plant 2" deep in garden; half-way if in container (pot should be approx. 2" larger).

achimenes.jpg (6836 bytes) ACHEMINES: FL, P, GC, Rhizome
"Magic Flowers". Highly colored petunia or pansy-like blooms with attractive foliage. Good ground cover in shady areas, hanging baskets, pots. Related to gloxinias.

AMAZON LILY: FL, GC, E, Bulb
'Eucharist Grandiflora." Pure white flowers blooming in mass from December thru spring. Hgt: 18". Excellent indoor plant. Fragrant. Good cut flowers. Shiny, dark green leaves.

AMORPHOPHALLUS: FL, MS, P, GC, Tuber
"The Snake Plant". Rapid grower. When tuber starts growing, it has been known to grow an inch a day. Trunk looks similar to a garden snake. Umbrella-like foliage.

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BEGONIA, DOUBLE and PENDULA: FL, P, GC, Tuber
Suitable for low borders, hanging baskets and pots. Good for season-long bloom.

BLOOD LILY (Haemanthus): FS, P, GC, Bulb
Magnificent head of hundreds of small red flowers. Blooming season is usually from April thru July. Makes excellent foliage plant even after bloom dies.

CALADIUMS: MS, FL, P, GC, Tuberous Root
One of the most popular tropical plants in Florida. Grown mainly for the foliage. Are divided into 2 types: fancy-leafed (heart-shaped) and lance or strapleafed (arrow). Fancy-leafed are taller (up to 20") and broader. Lance-leafed grow up to 12" with smaller, narrower leaves. Available in many color combinations. Cover with 1" soil. Cut leaves are long-lasting in arrangements. Use in beds, planters, pots, hanging baskets.

CALLA: MS, FS, P, PC, Rhizome
Cone-shaped flowers available in yellow, pink, white. White (Alba Maculata) calla is long-lasting cut flower with evergreen foliage. Can grow in wet soil. Yellow (Elliotana) calla has silver spots on leaves. Needs good drainage and full sun. Hgt: 2 ft. Pink (Richardia Rehmanii) calla is shorter than yellow with flowers showing just above leaves. Bloom spring and early summer.

CANNA: FS, P, GC, Rhizome Desirable landscape plant. Takes full sun and a lot of abuse. Will multiply. Blooms until first frost. Available in standard (4'-5') and dwarf (2'-3') heights. Many color combinations.

CRINUMS (Crinum Amoenum) : FS, E, GC, Bulb
Large white flower. Vigorous growth with sturdy stems having up to 20 flowers at one time. Blooms from late spring to early fall. Will multiply.

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DAHLIA: MS, FS, G, Tuberous Root
Very versatile bulb - - available as low border plant or tall shrub-like tree, depending on variety. Plant February thru April; blooms until first frost. Good cut flower.

ELEPHANT EAR: MS, FS, GC, Tuberous Root
A caladium with large, green leaves. Will multiply. Good for landscaping.

GINGER: MS, FS, GC, Tuberous Root
Popular and easy-to-grow tropical plants. Multiplies.
Pinecone (Zingiber Zerumbet): Noted for red-flower cones. When cone is squeezed, notice a lanolin fragrance. Hgt: up to 7 ft. Good cut flower.
Butterfly (Nedychium Coronarium): Most popular of gingers grown mainly for fragrance and large butterfly-shaped flowers. Hgt: 6 ft.
Variegated Pinecone (Zingiher Zerumbet Variegata): Same as pinecone but with variegated leaves. Hgt: 4 ft.

Curcuma (Curcuma Inodora): One of the showiest flowers grown. Large pink. Hgt: 4 ft. Easily grown in ordinary soil. Sunny or shady locations.

Dancing Girl (Globha Bulbifer): Perennial herb growing to 18". Canary yellow flowers produced at the end of each shoot from July thru October. Makes excellent table top centerpiece or border plant.
Orange (Curcuma Roscoeana): Bright orange spike about 8"-12" tall; plant to 2 ft. Excellent pot plant. Blooms August thru October. Make good cut flowers.

GLADIOLUS: MS, FS, A, G, Corm
Funnel-shaped flowers. Will require staking. Blooms April-September. Super Glads -- magnificent hybrid colors - grow up to 6 ft. Good cut flowers.

GLORIOSA LILY: FS, MS, P, GC, Tuber
A climbing vine producing multiple blooms of lily-like tendrils in scarlet and yellow, red and yellow, yellow or orange. Small green leaves. Good cut flower.

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GLOXINIA: FS, P, GC, Rhizome
Grown mainly for its gorgeous bell-shaped flowers. Known more as a houseplant but can be grown outdoors.

HARDY ORCHID (Bletilla Hyacynthina) : MS, FL, P, GC, Tuberous Rhizome
A terrestrial orchid with blooms resembling a tiny Cattleya in light purple or white. Flowers are the size of a quarter. Multiplies.

RAIN LILY: FS, E, GC, Bulb
Charming free-blooming miniature amaryllis-type flowers. Blooms after a rain or sprinkler.

GLADIOLUS: Multiplies. Foliage similar to border grass.

TUBEROSE: FS, MS, P, GC, Bulb
Small white flowers in tubular form. Long-lasting blooms. Sweet, sweet fragrance. More fragrant than orange blossoms. Good cut flower.

Fall Bulbs for Florida
The growing of bulbs in Florida is fun, challenging and rewarding, but ... the "rules" differ more than anywhere else in the country. Even here they vary from north, central and south Florida zones. Certain bulbs require refrigeration to simulate growth from their dormancy state. Several factors indigenous to every zone for quality growth are: Good Drainage: For both pot and landscape growing. Location site: Most fall bulbs can take full sun, but for best results in Florida, filtered light, morning or late afternoon sun is best. Quality Soil: In Florida much of the soil is sandy; therefore, any additive is a plus - top soil, planting mix, peat moss, along with organics such as bone meal, milorganite, cow or chicken manure. For best results, condition your soil before you plant your bulbs. We are lucky in Florida - you can have color in winter from late December to mid-March.

ANEMONES - Tuber
Produces 2 to 3 inch flowers in assorted colors of blue, lavender, pink, red, and white. Double or single blooms. Up to 2 ft. in height. Soak overnight, dry a day, and plant flat side down 1 inch deep. Plant full sun to filtered light. Best in landscape. Annual. Excellent cut flower.

CALLA-AETHIOPICA- Rhizome
Large white cone-shaped flower growing up to 4 feet in height. Excellent cut flower. Plant 1 to 2 inches deep. Plant full sun to filtered light. Good for landscape or container. Perennial.

CROCUS - Corm
Produces 2 inch flowers in colors of yellow, light blue, white and striped. Best to plant in clumps or borders or container. Refrigerate corms approximately 6 to 8 weeks before planting. Plant 2 to 4 inches deep in full sun. Good for landscape. In Florida, plant as an annual.

narcissus.jpg (6773 bytes) DAFFODILS-NARCISSUS - Bulb
Sun Bulb Company distributes the best varieties for southern climate. Good to plant in landscape or container. Refrigerate 6 to 8 weeks before planting. Fragrant. Plant twice the depth of the bulb in full or morning sun. The most popular colors are yellows and the yellow and white. In Central and South Florida plant as an annual.
Paperwhite Narcissus is the most popular of all narcissus. Even though its two counterparts Soleil D'Or (solid yellow bloom) and Chinese Sacred Lily (white with orange cup) have similar growth habits and are very attractive (and all three do not need refrigeration), the PapeMhite remains the "peoples choice". All three are easy to grow and produce an abundance of fragrant flowers. Grows and blooms best in filtered light. Great in rock gardens, pots, or flower beds.

DUTCH IRIS - Bulb
Large orchid-like flowers. Good cut flowers; excellent in containers. Grows up to 24 inches high. Plant 2 inches deep in garden; in container, just cover to tips with soil. With excellent drainage, may naturalize. Plant full sun or morning sun. Available in deep velvet blue, white solid yellow and light blue.

HYACINTHS - Bulb
Fragrant, large cluster of small blooms on single spike. Available in cherry red, dark and light blue, dark pink, pure white and light yellow. Refrigerate bulbs 6 to 8 weeks prior to planting. Plant 2 to 4 inches deep. If potting in container, soil should be level with tip of bulb. Excell~7f_f~Lrforcing. Plant full sun to filtered light. In Florida, plant as an annual.

LYCORIS - Bulb
Large narrow-petaled blooms. Plant with necks just above soil. Also called Spider Lily, Hurricane Lily or Magic Lily. Never goes completely dormant; will naturalize. Excellent for container growing (pot bound) or landscape. Full sun or morning sun. Pink or bright orange-red bloom.

RANUNCULUS - Tuber
Large double flowers in bright rich colors. Grows up to 18 inches. Soak a few hours prior to planting 1 to 2 inches deep - claws down. Plant now for spring bloom. Excellent cut flower. Plant in full sun. Grows best in landscape. Treat as an annual.

SPARAXIS - Corm F
lowers are 2 to 3 inches in a variety of colors. Excellent cut flower. Plant in fall for January-March blooming. Plant 1 to 2 inches deep. May naturalize if drainage is good. Plant in full sun in landscape.

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TULIP - Bulb
One of the most popular flowers around. Bell-shaped flower in a variety of colors -red,yellow, blue, white, and two-tone. For 3 Cental and South Florida - best grown in container. Deep rooted so do not use shallow pots. Refrigerate 6 to 8 weeks before planting. Good cut flower. In Central and South Florida plant as an annual.

ONION SETS
Brown, white or red. Garden sweet onions. For large onions, plant just below surface of the soil. For long neck salad-type onions, plant deeper. The deeper the onion is planted, the smaller the bulb develops. Do not plant over 4 inches deep.

amaryllis.jpg (3759 bytes) AMARYLLIS - Bulb
Flower cluster with huge lily-like flowers. Height up to 2 feet - may require staking. Planting 2 inches deep in garden or halfway if planted in container (pot should be approximately 2 inches wider than bulb.) Plant morning sun or filtered light. Perennial. Giant varieties available in reds, whites, stripes, roses, pinks and scarlets. Picotee - unusual white with red edge.

Amaryllis Kit: Attractive gift box. Includes one hybrid bulb, pot with saucer, growing medium and instructions. Great for indoor blooms.