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Narcissus ‘Salome’
This two-toned narcissus is part of the family of daffodils that are reliable bloomers in Southern gardens.
Photo by Barbara Smith
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Summer snowflake
Easy to grow, summer snowflake delivers crisp, white blooms in mid- to late spring, with each white petal tinged in green.
Photo by Barbara Smith
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Spanish bluebells
Plant these bulbs in woodland gardens, where they provide a pop of color in white, pink or blue-purple.
Photo by Barbara Smith
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Look inside
If you cut a flower bulb in half, you’ll see it looks much like an onion. Everything needed for it to transform itself into a blooming flower come spring is right there: The bottom basal plate, where all the plant parts originate; the layers of white leaf scales that will become leaves, and a tiny, green shoot that already holds a developing flower bud.
Photo by Amy Dabbs
When I see the first green daffodil shoots breaking through the soil each spring, I silently thank the optimistic gardener who planted those bulbs. I imagine someone on hands and knees, tucking seemingly lifeless, brown bulbs into cold soil, with visions of spring flowers dancing in their heads.
Those “lifeless” bulbs are actually poised to start growing from the moment they hit the soil. By definition, a bulb is a plant that stores its complete life cycle in an underground storage structure. It’s as if an entire plant has been telescopically shrunken down inside the fleshy lump of a bulb. Stored inside are carbohydrates that fuel the emergence of roots, the upward push of the stem and the unfurling of flowers.
If you’ve cut open an onion, you’ve seen all the parts of a true bulb right there on the cutting board. The bottom is the basal plate, where the remnants of roots cling to the outside and all the other plant parts originate on the inside. Wrapping up the sides are white, fleshy leaf scales that develop into leaves. In the center, there’s the tiny, green shoot that already has the developing flower bud in place. Outside, the brown, papery skin, or tunic, covers and protects the entire package.
Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths and alliums are all examples of true bulbs. Bulbs that lack a tunic are known as imbricate or non-tunicate bulbs. One example is the lily; its bulbs contain loosely arranged leaf scales rather than a tightly compressed bulb.
Some other spring-flowering plants that emerge from underground storage organs are not true bulbs. Gladioluses emerge from corms, anemones arise from tubers, and irises grow from rhizomes or underground stem tissue. Each of these perennials has underground storage adaptations developed to withstand extreme cold and drought. Gardeners loosely use the term “bulb” to describe them all.
Late fall or early winter is the perfect time to plant spring-flowering bulbs in South Carolina. Because our warm fall months might prompt bulbs to flower too early, wait until November to plant. In coastal areas, you may even wait until December or early January to plant bulbs. Often, gardeners must buy bulbs when they are available, which is typically earlier than the ideal planting time. If you purchase your bulbs early, store them in a cool area below 60 degrees until time to plant.
Some bulbs require a cold period of 12 to 15 weeks to cue them to sprout and flower. But, some areas of the South never get that much cool weather. Bulbs that emerge early and bloom a few inches above the soil line did not meet their chill-hour requirement. When shopping, look for bulbs that have already received a chill treatment. You can store your bulbs in mesh bags in the refrigerator for several weeks to help ensure spring flowers, but avoid storing them near fruits and vegetables, because ethylene gas emitted by produce may inhibit blooming.
Our warm winters can cause bulbs to fail to bloom or to die after one season. Poorly drained soil and ample rainfall can cause bulbs to rot in saturated ground. Wildlife, particularly squirrels and deer, like to dig up and devour bulbs and flowers.
But, there are some beautiful and reliable spring-flowering bulbs well-suited to South Carolina gardens.
- Summer snowflake (Leucojum aestivum) is easy to grow and blooms reliably from mid- to late spring. Small, white, bell-shaped flowers with green tips grow on plants that reach 18–20 inches tall. Great for naturalizing, summer snowflakes are among the few bulbs that grow well in damp soil. Don’t confuse summer snowflakes with snowdrops (Galanthus species), which won’t thrive in our hot climate.
- “Excelsior” Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica) are virtually bulletproof bulbs for the South. Commonly referred to as squills or wood hyacinths, these floriferous bulbs are beautiful in woodland gardens and come in white, pink or bluepurple.
- Tiny, fragrant grape hyacinths (Muscari species) boast flowers that resemble tiny clusters of grapes. These early-blooming, diminutive flowers make great supporting actors when interplanted with other spring-flowering bulbs. I have also seen them tucked into container gardens for an unexpected visual treat.
- Among the most reliable spring-flowering bulbs are species and hybrid daffodils (Narcissus). Large-flowered daffodils that return reliably in the South include “Mrs. R.O. Backhouse,” a Southern garden staple with peach-and-cream flowers, and “Ice Follies,” a tough, reliable bulb with beautiful white petals and a frilly yellow cup. Old-fashioned Lent lily, or Easter flower (N. pseudonarcissus), is an extremely early-blooming species daffodil with long trumpets and forward-swept petals that give it an informal, wildflower look.
- Intensely fragrant paperwhites are part of the tazetta group of daffodils sometimes referred to as narcissus. Because tazetta-type hybrids have no chill-hour requirements for blooming, they are perfect for coastal areas with mild winters. Try “Erlicheer,” a double-flowering daffodil with 15–20 creamy white flowers per stem. Or consider “Grand Soleil d’Or” and “Chinese sacred lily” (N. tazetta var. orientalis), which is hardy only near the coast.
Bulbs need to store carbohydrates from year to year to perform their spring show. Give them the best chance to perform at their peak by letting them die back to the ground before cleaning up spent flowers and stems. The sugars produced through photosynthesis are sent below ground in preparation for next spring. Removing the foliage leads to reduced flowers and smaller bulbs that ultimately tucker out and die.
AMY L. DABBS is an area horticulture agent for Clemson Extension based in Charleston County. Contact her at adabbs@clemson.edu.
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Get More
For more information on the planting and care of spring-flowering bulbs, consult the Clemson Home and Garden Information Center fact sheet “Spring-Flowering Bulbs.”