As a general rule, the colder your climate, the earlier you plant your spring flowering bulbs.
In colder northern climates, plant in September or October.
you may need to wait to plant bulbs until December or later.
Spring Flowering Bulbs |
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Name |
Bloom Time
Planting Time
Hardiness Zones |
Planting Depth
(Top of bulb)
Bulb Spacing |
Height |
Notes |
Growing Conditions |
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Crocus
(corm) |
Blooms early spring
Plant in fall
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 2-3" deep
Plant 2-4" apart |
3-6" |
Can be forced to bloom
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Daffodil
Narcissus |
Blooms early spring
Plant in fall
Zones 4-9 |
Plant 3-6" deep
Plant 3-8" apart |
6-15" |
Can be forced to bloom |
 
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Bluebells
Scilla siberica
(bulb) |
Blooms early spring
Plant in Sept/Oct
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 2-3" deep
Plant 3-5" apart |
4-8" |
Evergreen where hardy.
Bluebells are excellent for naturalizing. |
   
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Silver Shamrock
Oxalis adenophylla
(bulb) |
Blooms early spring
Plant in fall
Zones 4-10 |
Plant 1½-2" deep
Plant 2-4" apart |
3-4" |
Beautifully pleated, silvery-blue foliage. Easily maintained. |
   
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Grape Hyacinth
Muscari
(bulb) |
Blooms early spring
Plant in fall
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 2" deep
Plant 2-4" apart |
5-8" |
Can be forced to bloom
Small, long lived bulbs. Best planted in masses. |
  
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Hyacinth
Hyacinthus
(bulb) |
Blooms early spring
Plant Sept-Nov
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 4-6" deep
Plant 6-8" apart |
12" |
Can be forced to bloom
Grows well in planters
Very fragrant flowers. |
  
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Glory of the Snow
Chionodoxa
(bulb) |
Blooms early spring
Plant in Sept-Oct
Zones 4-9 |
Plant 3" deep
Plant 2-3" apart |
8" |
Look best when planted in masses. Performs best in cold winter regions. |
  
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Lily of the Valley
Convallaria majalis
(rhizome) |
Blooms in early spring
Plant in fall
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 1½-2" deep
Plant 2-4" apart |
5-10" |
Can be forced to bloom
Sweetly scented flowers, likes partial to full shade. |
   
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Orange Star Plant
Ornithogalum dubium
(bulb) |
Blooms early spring
Plant in fall
Zones 9-10 |
Plant 1 per 5" pot with only base of bulb covered |
12-18" |
Can grow as House Plant
Produces upright clusters of fragrant 1-2" flowers. |
  
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Crown Imperial
Fritillaria
(bulb) |
Blooms mid spring
Plant in early fall
Zones 5-9 |
Plant 6-8" deep
Plant 4-8" apart |
3-4 ft. |
Cultivated since the 16th century. Grows very quickly. |
   
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Fire Lily
Clivia miniata
(bulb-like) |
Blooms in spring
Plant in spring
Zones 10-11 |
Plant up to root crown
Plant 2 ft. apart |
12-18" |
Can grow as House Plant
Will bloom better when root bound. |
 
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Windflower
Anemone blanda
(tuber) |
Blooms in spring
Plant in fall
Zones 6-9 |
Plant 1" deep
Plant 6" apart |
8" |
Long blooming flowers above dense cover of fern-like foliage. |
   
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Freesia
(bulb) |
Blooms in spring
Plant early fall
Zones 9-10 |
Plant 2" deep
Plant 2" apart |
12-18" |
Can be forced to bloom
Can grow as House Plant
Very easy to care for bulbs. |
 
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Gloxinia
Sinningia hybridus
(tuber) |
Blooms in spring
Plant Dec-March
Zones 10-12 |
Plant 1" deep
Plant 1 per 5" pot |
8-12" |
Can grow as House Plant
Wide range of both foliage and flower forms and colors. |
   
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Dutch Iris
Iris reticulata
(bulb) |
Blooms in spring
Plant in fall
Zones 3-10 |
Plant 3" deep
Plant 6" apart |
6-10" |
Can be forced to bloom
Fragrant, tubular purple flowers |
 
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Japanese Iris
Iris japonica
(rhizome) |
Blooms late spring
Plant July-Oct
Zones 8-11 |
Plant 2" deep
Plant 12" apart |
12-24" |
Foliage resembles that of a Daylily. Produces masses of crested flowers. |
   
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Siberian Iris
Iris Siberica
(rhizome) |
Blooms in late spring
Plant in early spring or late summer
Zones 4-9 |
Plant 1-2" deep
Plant 1-2 ft. apart |
2-4 ft. |
Very durable and extremely hardy plants.
Long blooming period. |
   
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Shamrock
Oxalis oregona
(bulb) |
Blooms late spring
Plant in late summer
Zones 8-10 |
Plant 1-2" deep
Plant 2-4" apart |
6-8" |
Can grow as House Plant
Easy to grow in light shade, never direct sun. |
 
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Jack in the Pulpit
Arisaema
(tuber) |
Blooms in late spring
Plant in fall-winter
Zones vary |
Plant4 " deep
Plant 12" apart |
12-30" |
Compound, green or variegated leaves divided into 3-30 leaflets |
   
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Persian Buttercup
Ranunculus asiaticus
(tuber) |
Blooms late spring
Plant in fall
Zones 8-10 |
Plant 2" deep
Plant 6-8" apart |
8-18" |
3"-5" Camellia-like flowers atop branched, 8"-18" stem.
Grows well in planters |
  
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Peruvian Lily
Alstroemeria
(tuber) |
Blooms late spring
Plant in fall
Zones 7-10 |
Plant 6-8" deep
Plant 12" apart |
2-3 ft. |
Can grow as House Plant
Speckled flowers, Low maintenance, Long lived plant |
  
   
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Summer Flowering Bulbs |
 |
Name |
Bloom Time
Planting Time
Hardiness Zones |
Planting Depth
(Top of bulb)
Bulb Spacing |
Height |
Notes |
Growing Conditions |
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Flowering Onion
Allium species
(bulb) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in fall
Zones vary |
Plant 2-3x bulb size deep
Plant 4-6" apart |
1-6 ft. |
1"-5" flower clusters with dozens of star shaped flowers. |
   
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Bearded Iris
Iris germanica
(rhizome) |
Blooms in summer
Plant July-Oct
Zones 4-10 |
Plant with top at soil surface
Plant 12" apart |
6-48" |
Almost every color imaginable, some scented varieties |
   
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Dragon Lily
Dracunculus
(bulb) |
Blooms summer
Plant in fall
Zones 5-8 |
Plant 6" deep
Plant 9-12" apart |
18-24" |
Also known as a Voodoo Lily and Stink Lily. |
  
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Caladium
Colocasia
(tuber) |
Plant indoors anytime,
outdoors in May
Zones 10-11 |
2-3"
Plant 1 per 5-6" pot |
12-18" |
Can grow as House Plant
The foliage color is usually a combination of different shades of red, pink, green, white. |
  
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Calla Lily
Zantedeschia
(rhizome) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in spring or fall
Zones 8-11 |
Plant 4-6" deep
Plant 12-18" apart |
2-4 ft. |
Can be forced to bloom
Large, lush green foliage and beautiful, stately white, pink, yellow or red flowers. |
    
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Canna Lily
Canna generalis
(tuber) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in May or June
Zones 8-11 |
Plant 5" deep
Plant 12-18" apart |
3-6 ft. |
Grows well in planters
Intensely colored, three petaled flowers emerge from the top of 3-8 ft. spikes in mid summer.
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Chocolate Cosmos
Cosmos atrosanguineus
(tuber) |
Blooms in summer-fall
Plant in spring
Zones 7-10 |
Plant 6" deep
Plant 12" apart |
18" |
Pleasant chocolate fragrance.
With excellent drainage and heavy winter mulching Chocolate Cosmos will often survive in zone 6. |
  
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Gladiola
Gladiolus
(corm) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in spring
Zones 8-11 |
Plant 4" deep
Plant 4" apart |
12-36" |
Easy care, produces a tall spike of dramatic, brightly colored flowers. |
  
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Lilies
Lilium
(bulb) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in fall
Zones vary |
Planting depth varies
Plant 6-12" apart |
12-30" |
hu |
   
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Lily of the Nile
Agapanthus
(tuber) |
Blooms in summer
Plant evergreens in spring or fall
Plant deciduous types in fall
Zones 9-11 |
Plant 2" deep
Plant 6" apart |
18-36" |
Agapanthus don't like their roots disturbed so in colder regions they should be grown in planters. |
   
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Montbretia
Crocosmia
(corm) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in May or June
Zones 7-11 |
Plant 3-5" deep
Plant 4-6" apart |
2-4 ft. |
Easy to grow, they can be grown, but not over-wintered in containers |
   
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Dahlia
Dahlia
(tuber) |
Blooms in late summer
Plant in late spring
Zones 7-11 |
Plant 6" deep
Plant 1-3 ft. apart |
1-6 ft. |
A blast of different colors, shapes and sizes, flowers can be from 2"-12" in diameter. |
   
     
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Reiger Begonia
Begonia tuberhybrida
(tuber) |
Blooms summer-fall
Plant in early spring
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 1" deep
Plant 12" apart |
8-24" |
Can grow as House Plant
Can bloom for several months. |
    
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Spider Lily
Lycoris radiata
(x) |
Blooms late summer-fall
Plant late summer
Zones 7-10 |
Plant 3-6" deep
Plant 4-6" apart |
12-18" |
Clusters of brilliant red flowers appear seemingly overnight and out of nowhere. |
  
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Star of Bethlehem
Ornithogalum arabicum
(bulb) |
Blooms early summer
Plant in September
Zones 7-10 |
Plant 4" deep
Plant " apart |
12" |
Produces upright clusters of fragrant 1-2" flowers. |
    
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Tulip
Tulipa
(bulb) |
Blooms in spring
Plant in fall
Zones 3-8 |
Plant 4-6" deep
Plant 4-8" apart |
10-20" |
tulips |
  
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Water Lily
Nymphaea
(tuber) |
Blooms in summer
Plant in spring
Zones vary |
Plant in wide pot
Submerge 18-36"Plant 1 per pot |
low |
Can be planted in pots and submerged in your pond or even in a tub on your patio. |
  
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Fall and Winter Flowering Bulbs |
 |
Name |
Bloom Time
Planting Time
Hardiness Zones |
Planting Depth
(Top of bulb)
Bulb Spacing |
Height |
Notes |
Growing Conditions |
|
Autumn Crocus
Colchicum autumnale |
Blooms in fall
Plant in late summer
Zones 5-9 |
Plant 3-4" deep
Plant 6-9" apart |
5-6" |
Can be forced to bloom
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Fairy Lily
Zephyranthes |
Blooms in fall
Plant in summer
Zones 8-11 |
Plant 1-2" deep
Plant 3" apart |
5-8" |
Can be forced to bloom
Has a tendency in the wild to bloom after a rainfall. |
 
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Amaryllis
Hippeastrum |
Blooms in winter
Plant indoors in
Nov-Dec
Zones 9-11 |
Plant up to neck of bulb
Plant 1 per 5" pot |
1-2 ft. |
Can be forced to bloom
Can grow as House Plant
4-6" flowers on a 1-2 foot stem |
  
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Snowdrops
Galanthus
(bulb) |
Blooms late winter
Plant in fall
Zones 3-9 |
Plant 3-4" deep
Plant 2-3" apart |
6" |
Each stem holds a single, nodding, bell-shaped, fragrant white flower. |
   
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Cyclamen
Cyclamen persicum |
Blooms fall-spring
Plant in June-Aug.
Zones 5-7 / 9-10 |
Tender: Plant with ½ of bulb above soil
Hardy: Plant ½" deep
Plant 4-8" apart |
2-5" |
Can grow as House Plant
Needs cool temperatures, fresh air, and moisture. |
   
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