Tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs are common sights in the retail garden centers in the autumn. Fall is the proper time to plant bulbs; the bulbs need a few weeks of cold in order to grow and bloom in the spring.
There are many types of bulbs to consider planting in the autumn besides the traditional tulips, daffodils and hyacinths. Many of these “unusual bulbs” for fall planting are actually native plants in North America.
The woodland garden is an excellent location for bulbs. Blooming bulbs provide bright spots of color in the shady wooded garden. Two native bulbs are Dicentra cucullaria, commonly referred to as “Dutchmen’s breeches,” and Dicentra Canadensis, commonly known as squirrel corn. Both of these plants have white, pendulous flowers that bloom in early spring. Dutchmen’s breeches and squirrel corn are related to the common shade loving perennial “bleeding heart,” Dicentra spectabilis.
The trout lily species bring beautifully colored flowers and noteworthy foliage to the shaded garden. Western trout lily, Erythronium revolutum, has dark pink blooms with a rust colored throat and green leaves that are dappled with pale white. Yellow trout lily, Erythronium ameicanum, blooms deep yellow and has dark purple leaves with bright green spots. The trout lily species will naturalize in the garden through self-sowing.
If you have a dry garden spot, try turkeybeard, Xerophyllum asphodeloides. Turkeybeard, a member of the lily family, blooms in June. It has tall lily-like white flowers, but the foliage looks like a narrow bladed, low-growing clump grass.
Yellow star grass, Hypoxis hirsuta, is a tiny member of the lily family that also likes a dry environment. Dark green tufts of leaves about six inches in height produce bright yellow star shaped flowers beginning in May through the end of summer. This bulb is excellent for containers, rock gardens and edge plantings.
One of the most interestingly colored flowers for sunny garden bulb planting is chocolate lily, Fritillaria camschatcensis. Blooming in early summer, this bulb reaches about 18 inches in height and has small bell-shaped flowers that are blackish purple with yellow and green speckles.
When the cool days of fall roll around, most gardeners can find great enjoyment in digging holes and dropping in bulbs that will bloom in a few months. Along with the traditional daffodils and tulips, that the time to research and try a few “different” bulbs to add to your garden landscape.
Good online sources for a variety of bulbs are Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, at www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com, and Telos Rare Bulbs, at www.telosrarebulbs.com.
Questions or comments related to gardening? Contact Joleen at missourigardener@hotmail.com