What looks like a bulb, and acts like a bulb, but isn't? Lots of things! Technically, many plants we think of as growing from bulbs, actually grow from other types of modified stems, that behave very similarly to bulbs. For example, Crocus, Gladiolus, and Crocosmia grow from corms, Callas and Cyclamen grow from tubers, Dahlias grow from tuberous roots, and Bearded Iris and Cannas grow from rhizomes.

Yes Neal and I would like to have a lot more Crocosmia. At our recent MidAtlantic seed swap, someone donated Crocosmia seeds. I'd never thought about growing them from seed. Has anyone ever tried it?

I've never tried Crocosmia from seed, but would sure be willing to try them. Just in the last few years I've been toying with some species Gladiolus from seed, as well as a few bulbous plants. Its an exercise in patience, but a rewarding one

Tuber - Gloriosa 'Rothchildiana'

Wow, That's pretty, Jmorth. Is that a tender bulb?

Rated to Z 7 with extra mulch. I grow 90% of mine in large containers that are overwintered in the basement.
This one is Gloriosa 'greeni'

Very pretty.

How much snow did you get?

Two feet with another foot supposedly starting tomorrow night. My bulbs are well buried now.

That's significant...borders on the amazing. The most recent snow here was supposed to be 6" and turned out to be 2". Reflecting back, I can remember times of heavy accumulation but never anytime anything approaching 2', let alone 3'.

We had a year like this before, 1995. We were under snow cover for 3 months. We got 36 inches on March 31st that year. Generally, we have no snow cover for longer than 2 weeks, although last year and this, we had two periods of 3 weeks.

They were completely wrong on the news about this last one., They kept saying that Maryland, South Jersey & Delaware were going to be the northern range of the really deep stuff. The forecast for Philly was 6 to 12" and less for west of the city. Our airport got the highest cover of any at 29" I'm 15 miles west and got 24".

Glorious Gloriosas, jmorth! I sooo love them, still kicking myself for letting those I had remain in the ground a few winters ago!

I grew them about 4 years ago and didn't realize they were tender. I did not lift them and they didn't survive.

Pretty!
I just knock my bulbs out of the pots and throw them in a paper bag for the winter. I'm also growing some from seed, got cute little bulbs (tubers?) about an inch long without much effort. One of my seedlings is still green.

I love these although I can never quite figure out what to do with them. Trellis? Something? Usually they just grow tall and then fall over.

PS Happy to find this forum, I love bulbs!

Hymenocallis - Peruvian daffodil, aka as Ismeme - cultivated in large containers

Zephyranthes - Flower of the West Wind - aka as Rain lily - also container grown

Eremurus - Foxtail Lily - a strange star-shaped tuber - very, very distinctive flower

Great photos. I love rainlilies, and Eremurus. I planted some new ones last fall and I hope they grow well- I always have trouble with these!

Ooohh, I have a great place on my deck where I like to grow vines, and have been looking for some splashes of bright color. How much shade will Gloriosas grow in? My deck has a Silver Maple shading it, but it does get some morning sun, and now that we've cut a couple of trees, it gets a little afternoon sun.

I store a lot of my container bulbs dry, in the pots of medium they grew in. Anyone know if that would work for Gloriosas?

Works well, I store my Gloriosa tubers in their containers without any water in the basement (temp avg 55 - 60°).