Now this is a touchy subject for me. Ive not really grown much along the lines of bulbs, and even less of the ones sought after by cactus/succulent collectors.
I know of a few species, mainly:
lederbouria, albuca and bowiea.
I dont know their or any other bulb's workings, availability, or any other relevant data in terms of care.
To summarize, please, enlighten me.

Hi Stefan. I just bought some Ranunculus 'Aviv', which apparently alluded to where they were imported from; Israel...
But anyway, they had little bags of Tigridia pavonia too, which I almost bought also. Maybe when I go next time to Dollar Tree. Yes, they are only one Dollar ($1!) per bag of small root corms. They originate from Mexico & the desert, southwest. But probably hybridized with a variety of species, to get a spectrum of different flower colors. Nicknames include; Peacock, Tiger & Mexican shell flower & maybe a few other odd names, people decided to call it. I just plant them in spring & water sparingly. Then it can be stored dry, considering climate of usually cool dry winters & spring & summer rainfall pattern, of original habitat of the various species.( Edit, to correct genus name)

ShawnSteve said:Hi Stefan. I just bought some Ranunculus 'Aviv', which apparently alluded to where they were imported from; Israel...
But anyway, they had little bags of Pavonia too, which I almost bought also. Maybe when I go next time to Dollar Tree. Yes, they are only one Dollar ($1!) per bag of small root corms. They originate from Mexico & the desert, southwest. But probably hybridized with a variety of species, to get a spectrum of different flower colors. Nicknames include; Peacock, Tiger & Mexican shell flower & maybe a few other odd names, people decided to call it. I just plant them in spring & water sparingly. Then it can be stored dry, considering climate of usually cool dry winters & spring & summer rainfall pattern, of original habitat of the various species.

Those are "root corm " plants. Dicots dont really have true bulbs , save maybe for some species of geranium...
If you were thinking tigridia pavonia, maybe, but im not seeing an exposed bulb....
And, those are garden plants. I grow mine exclusively in pots...and indoors at that...
Sorry to waste your time , but not what im looking for, or what i wanted to know...

Stefan, perhaps if you go to Kohres website, you can look up a list of plants, apart from the cactus seed list. Look in the "Sukkulenten" section of the list & then exclude all of those you know, which mainly grow above ground, such as Agave, Aloe, Crassula, Dudleya, Echeveria, Kalanchoe, Sedum, Tillandsia, etc... You get the idea... Then check out some of those that remain. I don't know if you are able to if I am obtain Wellwitschia (sp?) If I am recalling correctly, it grows just two leaves & some use a long pvc pipe for the root, or perhaps Yucca, that flowers similar to Agave.
There is also an edible ( the root portion) plant, that produces a fairly large storage root , grown for food consumption, called "Jicama", which produces a vine. & can be grown from seeds

ShawnSteve said:Stefan, perhaps if you go to Kohres website, you can look up a list of plants, apart from the cactus seed list. Look in the "Sukkulenten" section of the list & then exclude all of those you know, which mainly grow above ground, such as Agave, Aloe, Crassula, Dudleya, Echeveria, Kalanchoe, Sedum, Tillandsia, etc... You get the idea... Then check out some of those that remain. I don't know if you are able to if I am obtain Wellwitschia (sp?) If I am recalling correctly, it grows just two leaves & some use a long pvc pipe for the root, or perhaps Yucca, that flowers similar to Agave.
There is also an edible ( the root portion) plant, that produces a fairly large storage root , grown for food consumption, called "Jicama", which produces a vine. & can be grown from seeds

Cant buy seeds anymore. They changed the export laws for the EU, and the import laws for my country(which is not in the eu)
As for yuccas, i have a few seedlings, and have grown yuccas before. But , they arent bulbs....
And wellwitschia mirablis is in fact a confierus caudiciform.Also, not a bulb....
Jicama, or pachyrizus, is a root vegatble. its not a xeric plant.

Yeah, apparently Mesa Garden, under new ownership will not even export anymore & the online list of cacti, appears to be an attempt at total failure, sadly enough....I did not even see a seed list & haven't checked lately, after that total disappointment, expecting to easily order seeds online...

I will attempt, with an old paper catalog, so it is not entirely futile. Unfortunately, when printed , it was done incorrectly, & out of sequence ! But here are a few; in no particular order. Hasseanthus nesioticus (underground caudex), Umbilicus, Bowiea, Bulbine, Phemeranthus ("Talinum") terefolius, Talinum caffrum from Kenya. Phyllolobus resurgens (caudex) Beaucarnia (caudex) Bombax, Calibanus, , some Ipomoea species ( heterophylla). Kedrostris. Momordica rostrata, Peperomia... hth & this way you can look up images, to see what you like & then ask about particular information, from those that may grow, or have grown them.
Please excuse any errors, as I'm not a professional transcriptionist.

Out of those that you mentioned only bowiea and bulbine are actuall bulbs.
Bulbs and caudiciforms are different. Please read up....

Otherwise, I may be misinterpreting my use of the term "bulb", or corm As to my mind, bulbs & corms are very similar....so I just figure, you are speaking of caudex type plants.
Try looking at lithops.net & that online catalog may be of some additional help, with the issue, of bulbs, corms, tubers, & caudex forming desert plants..
Some, like " Scottish Rock Garden Club" Societies , once joined, provide all the necessary paperwork, required, to get involved with very extensive lists, for receiving 'seed exchanges" of many difficult to obtain varieties, even if you grow a plant indoors, of which are originally from many parts of the world, yet once grew wild & now get cultivated as "houseplants", or grown outdoors in a pot, during warm weather.

Bulbs, as in monoct bulbs.indoor amarylis. Grape hyacninth. Regular hyacinth. Not corms, not caudexes(i have a few of those), not tubers(ceropegia woodii), not pachycauls. Just bulbs.

Try the Pacific Bulb Society webpage, for ideas. I think it may be rather self limiting, with your definition. Perhaps Calochortus ? For suggested seed sources within the U.S. ; Alplains, for extensive seeds of many Native species, of North America. Up in Canada,, botanicallyinclined (.org or .com?) ships at own risk, if papers aren't satisfactory for your Country...

Not trying to buy anything at the moment though...
I am looking for info though...

Stefan. You don't have to purchase anything, to look at website, to garner information from it, about a particular subject. Be it a website, such as Pacific Bulb Society, or a vendor. You can even access the Scottish Rock Garden Forum, to investigate previous posts, regarding particular plants, by using Google to read discussions on germination of rare plant seeds, or see photos & techniques discussed for germinating very particular seeds & even enjoy seeing their hard work with results posted of the plants in flower.
I've experienced major loss of my years spent, of gardening, by moving... I simply started over again! I have very little, of what I once owned, some of which I had for many years... I realize, at times, life can get to be very discouraging. If I let that stop me, I have gained nothing.

I don't think you two are having the same conversation but it has been entertaining.

How about Ornithogalum?

@Daisyl Maybe since you are out West, you might be capable of thinking of an actual "bulb" that grows out your way? Can you think of any, "sought after, by cacti & succulent collectors "?
I think the issue, is, lack of "true bulbs", like Hyacinth, or Amaryllis, from the desert, in the south western U.S... As otherwise, I am at a total loss, for thinking of any, suitable to answer the question.
Unless, it possibly comes "Out of Africa." & not the "New World", desert. Or, possibly from South America, instead...

most desert xeric bulbs are from africa though. Even most cacti arent from proper desert. The term xeric shrubland and badland suits them better.

Stefan, here in North America, the monocots that grow here, just really aren't the type of flowering plants, that one would consider as "being sought after by cacti & succulent collectors." Because, simply stated, those plants which grow wild here in North America in that group of monocots, are of the Iris & Lily Family, which have true "bulbs". Does that help?
Yes, , a true desert, is actually more like the Sahara. But we do call the Mojave, a desert.
Otherwise, we have some plants, such as Allium, Calochortus ( Mariposa Lily), Camassia, Erythronium, Fritillaria, Hymenocallis, Northoscodium, Veratrum & Zigadenus. This information is from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, website.
Unless you are interested in North American Native Iris species...
It is the use of the word "bulb" that many people in America, tend to classify so many other plants together, which tend to have tuberous, or enlarged roots, corms, etc..

Allium...ah yes. Onions and garlic. But no, a lot of these are either annuals, outdoor plants for ground, or too wet loving.
Again, look up these : lederbouria, albuca and bowiea. They are the type of "bulb" im talking about.
What you call is not what usually is. Today, i heard people calling aptenia "sea geranium". Its definitely not anything close to a geranium.
But seriously, read up. Just so we are on the same page.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...

You can add Eulophia orchids. Some have underground rhizomes, some have pseudobulbs on the surface.

I have Eulophia petersii, a nice addition to the succulent collection. Though I have not yet been successful making it bloom, it still blends in nicely with the succulents.

I use a lot of gritty media for it, like 90% of it is pumice, lava rock, insoluble crushed granite combination and 10% cacti mix.


For now it is still hiding indoors, but all my overwintered plants are set to be out this week..finally our weather has stabilized enough to safely bring them out.

Finally, a post actually on topic. Thank you, tarev.

You have mentioned the ledobouria's already. They are really nice, I only have Ledobouria socialis:
These are photos from their 2018 growth, finding them happiest during mid to late Spring, that's when I see the blooms:



There are also nice terrestrial bromeliads, that likes a very well draining media, as gritty as it can be, very xerophytic: but I have to protect them from intense dry conditions here during our 6 to 7 months of zero rainfall, so they are in more part sun/shade growing area:
Deuterocohnia brevifolia


Cryptanthus - grown indoors by west facing window


This is a noid bromeliad given to me before, and I think it is some type of Dyckia
2016

May 2018



Zamia furfuracea - cardboard-like leaves, happiest in my area during the peak of summer when we get really hot and dry. That is when I see a new flush formation. Planted in a well draining, gritty media, trunk portion partly under the soil, part of it above soil. Before I used to panic when I see older leaves going yellow, then I realized the plant was redirecting energy to the new growth.
early July 2018


end of July 2017


I would add Clivia's. It really needs very gritty, well draining media. Prefers to be on the very dry side, and very low light. And that is one main difference compared to growing typical succulents that wants much stronger light and sun. Has very thick roots, so it understandably likes to dry out faster. So it is a good addition to one who likes a xerophytic collection but has problems with light levels This one will take low light, so it is positioned more to a north facing window.. Related to Amaryllis, and blooms in my area during mid to late winter. I grow them before mostly indoors, but I have to move out one of them outdoors but positioned in the shadiest side of the garden due to my cat. It will easily burn with too much sun. Even morning sun at times is too much for it.



Albuca's has been mentioned already, and I have two of them. I have to position them in part sun/shade area, they will suffer too much with our very dry and hot sun conditions during the long dry period. Both I have noticed now will go dormant and can be leafless during the peak of our summer, but perks up again and growing new leaves during our rainy winter months, our rainy winters is quite okay with them. Planted on very gritty media and I have kept the original containers, since I want to keep them small and I want them to dry out faster especially during winter.
Albuca Augrabie Hills


Albuca spiralis