Full Answer
What are ornamental bulbous plants?
Ornamental bulbous plants, often called ornamental bulbs or just bulbs in gardening and horticulture, are herbaceous perennials grown for ornamental purposes, which have underground or near ground storage organs. Botanists distinguish between true bulbs, corms, rhizomes, tubers and tuberous roots,...
Are there any grasses with bulbous roots?
Several grass-like plants have bulbous roots and are often mistaken as grasses. Wild garlic and nutsedge are common grass-like plants with bulbs, but reside in different plant families. Onion grass and bulbous bluegrass are true grasses that have bulb-like structures underground.
How are bulbous plants made?
Bulbous plants are produced on an industrial scale for two main markets, cut flowers and dried bulbs. The bulbs are produced to satisfy the demand for bulbs for parks, gardens and as house plants, in addition to providing the bulbs necessary for the production of cut flowers.
What is a true bulb in plants?
True bulbs. A true bulb (i.e. a bulb in the botanical sense) is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that are used as food storage organs by the plant. The bottom of the bulb is made up of a short section of stem forming the basal plate.
Environmental adaptations and distribution
History of use
Bulbous plants in the garden
How many petals does a rosette have?
Forms a basal rosette of 3-lobed leaves, arising from a corm. Flowers are bright yellow with 5-7 shiny petals arising from erect, somewhat hairy stems. Tall and creeping buttercup are also seen but less common.
What weeds are easier to pull?
Weeds with tap roots like dandelions or have a basal rosette (leaves clustered close to the ground) like plantain are easier to pull than weeds such as Bermudagrass (wiregrass) or creeping Charlie (ground ivy) that spread with stolons or creeping stems that root along the ground.
What is an ornamental bulbous plant?
For narrower botanical uses, see Bulb and Storage organ. Ornamental bulbous plants, often called ornamental bulbs or just bulbs in gardening and horticulture, are herbaceous perennials grown for ornamental purposes, which have underground or ...
How do bulbous plants survive?
Annual species complete their life cycle during favourable seasons and pass unfavourable ones as seeds. Bulbous plants, on the other hand, have developed storage organs as a reserve to allow them to survive unfavourable conditions in a resting condition in order to begin growth again when environmental conditions become more favourable. The dormant or resting period may be in summer or winter, or may depend on rainfall, as in the tropics. The different strategies enable bulbous plants to survive adverse conditions such as extremely hot and dry summers, very cold winters, or periods of drought.
What is a tulip?
Tulips ( Tulipa ), a popular species of bulbous plant. Lilium regale. A group of crocuses ( Crocus) in flower. Ornamental bulbous plants, often called ornamental bulbs or just bulbs in gardening and horticulture, are herbaceous perennials grown for ornamental purposes, which have underground or near ground storage organs.
How do bulbs reproduce?
Bulbs can reproduce sexually, through seeds, or even vegetatively. Reproduction through seeds is generally used to rapidly increase the number of individuals of a given species and to improve genetic diversity. Many of the bulb species are self-incompatible, so pollination can only occur between clones of different plants in order to obtain seeds. The majority of seeds from bulbous plants germinate well if they are sown as soon as they reach maturity. Some species need a cold period in order to germinate. The biggest problem in reproducing through seeds is that the resulting plants have a greater variability in a wide range of characteristics, such as flower colour and height and flowering period. This means that asexual or vegetative reproduction is normally used commercially to propagate this type of plant. This means that the characteristics of a determined cultivar remain unaltered.
What is a bulb in gardening?
In gardening, a "bulb" is a plant's underground or ground-level storage organ that can be dried, stored and sold in this state, and then planted to grow again. Many bulbs in this sense are produced by geophytes – plants whose growing point is below ground level. However, not all bulbs in the gardening sense are produced by geophytes. For example, rhizomatous irises are included in books on ornamental bulbs, but their growing points are above ground. Many bulbs are produced by lilioid monocots, but not all lilioid monocots have bulbs. Brian Mathew says that "we just have to accept that there is no accurate term which we can use for this group of plants and we are left with 'bulbs' as the snappiest and most convenient."
When do tulips grow?
Most bulbous plants are adapted to hot, dry summers and cooler, wetter winters. They are dormant through the summer and grow during the autumn, winter and spring. Within this group, there are variations, largely determined by how cold the winter is. Many tulips ( Tulipa species) of Asian origins, for example, have adapted to an extreme continental climate, with dry, very hot summers, very cold winters and springs with short showers. They grow mainly during the spring. In cultivation such tulips may be planted in late autumn (e.g. November in the northern hemisphere). In regions where winters are milder, some species, such as Crocus cartwrightianus, flower in the autumn, either at the same time as the leaves appear or before. Others, such as Arum creticum, produce leaves in the autumn which last through the winter until the plant flowers in the spring.
What is a true bulb?
a bulb in the botanical sense) is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that are used as food storage organs by the plant. The bottom of the bulb is made up of a short section of stem forming the basal plate.
Where does Belladonna Lily come from?
It is commonly called as Belladonna lily, King or Star lily. It is native of South Africa. It is an excellent for bedding, pot, window boxes, green houses, borders, etc. Flowers are sold in the market as cut flowers. The plants are about 75-90 cm tall and leaves are long, dark green and strap shaped.
What is the name of the flower with a white petal and a red rim?
Geranium (White petals, cup deep orange red), Poeticus Red Run (White petal and cup with yellow shading and a broad red rim), Poeticus Snow King (Glistening white petals and cup with yellow centre and edge of red), and Paper White (Small white fragrant flowers).
What are the three main classes of begonias?
Begonias are grouped into three main classes according to root types i.e., Rhizomatous (Begonia red), tuberous (B. tuber-hybrida) and fibrous (B. semperflorens). Out of three types rhizomatous and fibrous rooted are grown in the plains whereas tuberous rooted can be grown successfully in hills.
How tall are a sage plant?
The plants are tall 60-90 cm having strap like long leaves of light green colour. White flowers are produced in umbels of 9-10 flowers. At a time 2-3 flowers open. The flowers have six long, narrow segments united at the base by a thin membranous cup or corona.
What color are flowers?
The colour of flower varies from white, deep pink, dark red, scarlet, crimson, salmon to orange. In some varieties flowers also bear stripes on white with red or white stripes on solid colours. There are numerous varieties available. ADVERTISEMENTS:
When do day lilies bloom?
It is a vigourous perennial herb with long linear leaves. Flowers are produced during April-June on long (60-90 cm) stalks which are showy campanulate.
Where does Haemanthes Multiflorus come from?
Haemanthes Multiflorus (Amaryllidaceae): It is native of tropical Africa and is commonly known as Blood flower or Red cape lily. It is commonly grown in pots. Plants are medium tall with oblong leaves. Flowers are puffy of scarlet red colour which is produced on long stem (30 cm) in spring and summer months.
What Are Weeds?
Any unwanted plant growing in your yard can be a type of weed. Generally, common weed plants have undesirable qualities like invasiveness, jaggy leaves, or persistence. Weedy plants can also choke out desirable plants by competing for nutrients, light, and space. As a result, weeds make your garden look unkempt and messy.
How to Identify Weeds
Proper weed identification is the first step to removing them. To identify weeds, look at the type of leaf, flower, and root system. For example, weeds tend to have a thick root, making them difficult to remove, or a creeping fibrous root system that spreads quickly.
Types of Weed Roots
Weeds are categorized by their roots. Typically, knowing the type of roots is key to controlling weeds and preventing them from ruining your hard work.
How to Get Rid of Weeds
Use an integrated weed management system to get rid of weeds. Natural weed killers include vinegar, salt, borax, or boiling water. To prevent lawn weeds, use a pre-emergent weed killer such as corn gluten that can keep lawn weeds at bay. Also, a layer of mulch in flower beds can prevent weed growth.
Types of Weeds (with Picture and Name) – Identification Guide
Let’s look in detail at identifying the common types of weeds that can cause problems in your garden.
Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
Stinging nettle is a perennial weed with green, tooth-edged ovate leaves and stinging bristles that cause skin irritation. Stinging nettles grow 3 to 10 ft. (1 – 3 m) tall, and the weedy stinging plant spreads through rhizome roots and airborne seeds.
Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Creeping buttercup is a spreading noxious garden weed with yellow flowers that can also become firmly rooted in lawns. The pesky weed spreads by long runners that form a robust network of stolons. Creeping buttercup commonly grows in damp ground and moist soil.

Overview
Ornamental bulbous plants, often called ornamental bulbs or just bulbs in gardening and horticulture, are herbaceous perennials grown for ornamental purposes, which have underground or near ground storage organs. Botanists distinguish between true bulbs, corms, rhizomes, tubers and tuberous roots, any of which may be termed "bulbs" in horticulture. Bulb species usually lose their upper parts during adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat or winter cold. The bul…
Terminology
The word "bulb" has a somewhat different meaning to botanists than it does to gardeners and horticulturalists. In gardening, a "bulb" is a plant's underground or ground-level storage organ that can be dried, stored and sold in this state, and then planted to grow again. Many bulbs in this sense are produced by geophytes – plants whose growing point is below ground level. However, not all bulbs in the gardening sense are produced by geophytes. For example, rhizomatous irises are …
Types
A true bulb (i.e. a bulb in the botanical sense) is an underground vertical shoot that has modified leaves (or thickened leaf bases) that are used as food storage organs by the plant. The bottom of the bulb is made up of a short section of stem forming the basal plate. Storage leaves are produced from the top of the basal plate, roots from the underside. Genera with true bulbs are Muscari, Allium, Tulipa and Narcissus.
Environmental adaptations and distribution
Annual species complete their life cycle during favourable seasons and pass unfavourable ones as seeds. Bulbous plants, on the other hand, have developed storage organs as a reserve to allow them to survive unfavourable conditions in a resting condition in order to begin growth again when environmental conditions become more favourable. The dormant or resting period may be in summer or winter, or may depend on rainfall, as in the tropics. The different strategies enable …
History of use
Plants with fleshy underground parts were probably first used as food. Onions (Allium cepa) were cultivated in Ancient Egypt. In South America, the potato (Solanum tuberosum), oca (Oxalis tuberosa) and the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) were cultivated for thousands of years. Other parts of bulbous plants were also used in cooking. The Minoans of Crete grew and traded saffron (either the wild species Crocus cartwrightianus or the cultivated Crocus sativus). The plant is dep…
Bulbous plants in the garden
Some varieties of bulbous plants thrive under adverse conditions such as poor soil or shade, and are therefore well suited to use in a garden. Varieties can be chosen that bloom at various times of year. They can be intermingled with other plants, used in pots, or even placed in the lawn or underneath fruit trees.
Regarding their size, it is possible to find species that only grow a few centimetres such as Crocu…
Multiplication
Bulbs can reproduce sexually, through seeds, or even vegetatively. Reproduction through seeds is generally used to rapidly increase the number of individuals of a given species and to improve genetic diversity. Many of the bulb species are self-incompatible, so pollination can only occur between clones of different plants in order to obtain seeds. The majority of seeds from bulbous plants germinate well if they are sown as soon as they reach maturity. Some species need a col…
Commercial production
Bulbs can be evergreen, such as Clivia, Agapanthus and some species and varieties of Iris and Hemerocallis. However, the majority are deciduous, dying down to the storage organ for part of the year. This characteristic has been taken advantage of in the commercialization of these plants. At the beginning of the rest period the bulbs can be dug out of the ground and prepared for sale as if they remain dry they do not need any nutrition for weeks or months.