Bulbs are marvelous organisms . Only a few of the flower we guess of as come in from bulb are in reality " true " bulbs ; the various category known as " flower bulbs " includes corms , Tuber and rootstock . Within that diversity lie the keys to the flush ' identification . Inside , they all shelter the embryo of a plant life and food for its maturation . Unlike seeds , which contain only enough nutrients to get a industrial plant started , bulbs contain enough nutrients for an entire season ’s outgrowth and anthesis .
Step 1
Separate the on-key bulbs . True bulbs are rounded on the bottom with a " basal dental plate " out of which spring up the plant ’s roots . on-key bulbs have a pointed top where the stem of the plant will grow . genuine bulbs may be tunicate bulbs ( tulips and daffodils , genus Allium ) which are pass over by a papery " tunica " or scaly bulbs ( lilies ) which have no tunic ; both types originate ordered series each year from the bottom " basal plate " .
Step 2
front for smaller bulbs with indented stern and compressed or pointed tops that are either covered with a adventitia or have a scratchy surface ; these are corms . Most of their food for thought is located around the radix which holds the stem tissue paper . Gladioli , freesia , crocus , wand flower and Tritonia ( blazing maven ) all uprise from corms . Corms that are lifted in the gloaming must have the current class ’s deadened stem section remove from the bottom to allow new roots to form next time of year .
Step 3
Find bulbs that look like expectant flat corms with several buds on top . Tubers are often softer than genuine light bulb or corm . Some type of begonia and oxalis as well as the vining gloriosa lily ( vine ) originate from tubers . Some perennials , notably anemone and dahlia , grow from roots that mimic the tuber in appearing but which are not part of the stem ; " tuberous roots " can be separated from the stem to make new plant .
Step 4
Identify bulbous rhizomes by their long shapes with lateral buds which turn up to grow into lily of the valley , cannas and some iris species . These rhizomes get in one-year layer and hold a year ’s worth of food like other bulbs but look like fertile , homely root word . " Rhizomous roots " like those of peonies and daylilies are not bulb .
Step 5
Compare sizing and methods of propagation . Lily bulbs grow up to 6 inch or more in size but anemone tubers are so diminished that they depend like flakes of bark . Tunicate bulbs grow large and propagate bulblet that grow alongside the basal plateful . Scaly bulb grow bulblets around the basal plate and self - propagate along the part of the stem that farm under the soil control surface . genus Tuber and rootstalk often rot in the center or along their distance ; they must recrudesce into pieces , each of which must hold live bud for succeed .
Tip
Some flowers come in more than one variety show with dissimilar root system of rules . Iris , for good example , may arise from a tunicate bulb ( Dutch iris ) , a rhizome ( barbate iris ) or in thump ( Japanese and other specie beardless iris ) like daylilies . Flowers that rise from bulbs , like all angiosperms , produce seed . Bulbs , however , give works a " fail safe " vegetive method of breeding , making bulbs some of the most worthful member of the perennial garden .
