Bonsai Societies of Florida, FL. USA

Bulbs species that grow well in the Deep South (Part 3)

Narcissus can be well adapted or very picky, depending on the kind.  There are many types, derived from several original species, native to mountainous regions of such places as the Caucasus.  Enthusiasts have divided them into strict categories, based on floral form and habit, but not on adaptability.  You frequently see clumps of yellow jonquils still growing on old home sites; the houses and people are long gone but jonquils remain.  Where the land starts to rise from the coastal plain, you will find naturalized trumpet daffodils, such as the variety King Alfred.  Few daffodils do well south of that line.  Some varieties that do are Ice Follies, Fortune, Thalia (white), Tete-a Tete (dwarf and yellow), February Godl, and Baby Moon, whch has branched flower stems with one inch yellow flowers.   Some of the old white narcissus that bloom in midwinter in the coastal south have been passed along for generations.  Paper-white narcissus, often forced during winter, need no chilling period and if they are properly handled during shipping, are almost certain to bloom the first season from dry bulbs.  After bloom these may be planted into the garden and, after a year to make new leaves and initiate new flowers, can repeat for years. 

A longevity and performance study done at LSU identified several small-flowered bulbs that perform well and persist in south Louisiana and in other areas of the coastal South.  These include Broiaea Laxa, which wens up striking blue flower clusters on stems about twelve inches tall before leaves grow in late spring.  Scilla campanulata, sometimes called Canterbury bells, produces stems about a foot tall with clusters of one-inch, nodding, bell-like flowers (they can be blue, white or pink).

Triteleia uniflora sends up leaves in early winter, then one-inch star-shaped flowers on six-inch stems in early spring.  These increase from offsets as well as seeds, and may invade the lawn near beds where they grow.  Most people find this desirable, especially as it is too early to mow the grass.  Later on, just mow over them.

One invader that can be troublesome is star-of-Bethlehem (Ornithogalum umbellatum).  this grows about eight inches tall, with leaves emerging in early winter, and flwers in spring with clusters of white blooms with dark centers.  Charming as they are, they produce huge numbers of offsets that spread throughout the bed, defying efforts to remove them.

Rain lillies, species of Habranthus and Zephyranthes can border beds without becoming a nuisance.  These got the common name from their habit of respondingto rains, especially after dry spells, with a profusion of flowers.  Some bloom as early as April in the humid South-some as late as September.  Most are native to Mexico or to Central or South America-a few are native to the Gulf crescent from south Florida through coastal Texas.  Severe cold limits the range of most.  Flowers are usually from one to three inches across, lilylike on stems up to 18inch tall.  Colors range from white and yellow through rose and pink; apricots and pure reds are known.
Cannnas used to be more popular back in the old days, because they take up a lot of space.  There is a leaf roller insect that turns up wherever cannas are grown.  This little critter presents a constant challenge to anyone who tries to keep cannas' foliage looking good.

Callas are old-fashioned plants that have been dramatically improved by breeders in recent years.  We all thought that callas were like lillies as the tall, white zantedeschia aethipica with 3 foot stems.  We also thought of them as plants for funerals, but the newr forms and species, especially Z. elliotiana (yellow) and Z. rehmannii (red) have some really "hot" colors and smaller plants, they would look out of place at a funeral.  You can now choose from colors such as coral, pink, burgundy or yellow-some with attractive white spotted leaves.  All of these will be damaged by hard freezes, but mulching will protect them into the mid-twenties, or they can be lifted and stored over colder periods.

We almost forgot to mention Leucojum aestivum, the snowflake.  This small spring-flowering bulb can substitute for lily-of-the valley (convallaria), which does not do well in hot weather.  


Snowflake makes stems about a foot tall with clusters of nodding, bell-like blooms, which are white with a distinctive green dot at the ends of the floral segments.  

Thanks to Ed and Leon

Bulbs species that grow well in the Deep South (Part 2)

Caladiums, mostly grown commercially on muck soils in south Florida, represent the other end of the climatic adaptability scale (they are tropicals)  With reasonable care you can get several years of good performance from them.  These should not be planted until the soil temperature is about 65 F or above.  The tubers will not have roots at this time but you can tell which end is up: the bottoms are smooth and rounded, and there are several pointed buds on top.  However, if you plant caladium upside down you will just get more, somewhat smaller, leaves than if you plant right-side up.

When greenhouse growers want caladiums to make more leaves for full pots, they often cut out the central, largest, bud.  This allows the lateral buds, which would have been kept dormant by the large bud, to sprout.  This central bud sometimes produces one large leaf, followed by the flower, which has a typical jack-in-the pulpit shape.  Some of the flowers are quite pretty, but if you do not want flowers, break them off early.  When the leaves mature and begin to die back in summer (they have a genetic tendency to do this), lift the tubers and let them dry in a cool place until the old dry leaves can be pulled off easily.  Then store them in ventilated containers (old stocking or mesh bags are good) in a warm, but not hot, place until the soil warms up in spring.

There is a group of caladium varieties called strap-leafed; their leaves are lanceolate rather than heart-shaped.  These have thicker leaves and are better suited for open sun.  Those with heart-shaped leaves do better in partial shade (even though they are grown under full sun in south Florida).

Several kinds of irises are well adapted to the humid South;  one group originated in Louisiana.  The bulbous irises are called Dutch iris.  The parent species are native to Spain and northern Africa;  it seems that everything the Dutch grow is called Dutch.  Some selections of Dutch irises will establish and persist in our climate, but many are no happier here than are tulips.

Louisiana irises have a color range surpassing that of the other groups.  Hobbyist breeders have improved the form and colors far beyond those you see in our swamps.  These are very tough plants with relatively few problems and will grow despite poor soil drainage that would kill many bulbous plants.  This does not mean that they require poor drainage; like most plants they respond to care.  They grow well in partial shade but need full sun to bloom.  The bloom period is from early spring into early summer.  After several seasons of growth the rhizomes usually branch, older leaves are shed, and bare sections of the rhizomes appear between newer leaves.  This is a good time to dig, divide, replant and share the extra rhizomes with friends.

Japanese iris also thrives in the South, producing large, relatively flat flowers.  These vary in color and form, with some having wider floral segments than others.  Like the Louisiana irises, they grow from rhizomes as well as from seed.  Hobbyists have made great improvements in these also.

You will see lots of Lycoris radiata, the red spider lily or hurricane lily, which blooms in the fall before its leaves emerge.  Other species of Lycoris are not as well adapted to the coastal South but ill do well a bit farther north.  These include yellows, flesh colors, coral shades and in the case of L. squamigera (surprise Lily), pink flowers on two-foot stems in July.  It seems to us that, with only a little effort, breeders could improve the climatic range of these attractive plants......(to be continued)