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Freesia
Freesia alba
Overview
South African bulbs prized for their intensely sweet, fruity fragrance that is one of the most beloved scents in the floral world. Freesias produce graceful one-sided sprays of funnel-shaped flowers in white, yellow, pink, red, and purple. They are outstanding cut flowers whose fragrance fills an entire room.
Freesia alba is a species of flowering plant in the iris family. It is native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. This species and hybrids are known on other continents where they have been introduced. Freesia alba is an herbaceous perennial growing from a corm and producing an erect, often branched stem up to 40 cm tall with several leaves up to about 15 centimeters long. The inflorescence is a spike of several fragrant flowers with usually white tepals marked with yellow and purple. This plant is grown as an ornamental, and it has been crossed and bred to develop a wide array of variations. Hybrids between F. alba and F. leichtlinii can be found growing naturalized in the wild in many areas, such as several Australian states and Chile.
Growing Conditions
Habitat & Range
- Habitat
- Meadows & Open Areas
- Native Range
- Cape Provinces of South Africa
- Cultivation Region
- Temperate regions
Botanical data via projectGAIA.
Companion Planting & Soil
Good Companions
Sowing & Propagation
Propagation Methods
Planting Calendar
When to sow, transplant, and harvest by growing zone.
| Zone | Action | Months | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold (1-2) | Start Indoors | Feb — Mar | Start corms indoors in pots; not cold hardy — treat as annual or dig corms in fall |
| Cold (1-2) | Bloom | Jun — Jul | Fragrant tubular flowers in many colors; support stems — they lean toward light |
| Cool (3-4) | Transplant | Apr — May | Plant corms 2" deep after last frost; full sun; fragrant cut flower |
| Cool (3-4) | Bloom | May — Jun | Intensely fragrant spring/early summer bloom; excellent vase life |
| Moderate (5-7) | Direct Sow | Oct — Nov | Fall-plant corms in zones 8+; mulch lightly for winter insulation |
| Moderate (5-7) | Transplant | Mar — Apr | Plant in spring; or fall in mild areas for spring bloom |
| Moderate (5-7) | Bloom | Apr — May | Spring bloom; one of the most fragrant bulbs |
| Warm (8-9) | Direct Sow | Oct — Nov | Plant corms in fall for late winter/spring bloom; excellent cut flower |
| Warm (8-9) | Bloom | Feb — Apr | Late winter through spring bloom |
| Hot (10+) | Direct Sow | Nov — Dec | Plant in late fall; blooms in late winter; dig and store corms after foliage dies |
| Hot (10+) | Bloom | Jan — Mar | Winter/early spring bloom; heat ends flowering quickly |
Uses
Other Uses
- Exceptional fragrant cut flower
- Container planting for cool greenhouses
- Naturalizing in mild climates (zones 9-10)
