Freesia

These flowering beauties will capture your heart! Noted for their fresh sweet fragrance and bright colors, Freesias are usually grown for use as cut flowers. Each stem produces 5-10 trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in one-sided racemes atop leafless, arching, wiry stems. Many hybrids are available in single or double blooms and in colors ranging from white, yellow, orange, red, pink, purple, lavender, and various bicolors.

Click here to see all Freesia varieties

• Freesias grow up to 12-24 in. tall (30-60 cm) above grassy, sword-shaped foliage. Over time your Freesias will multiply.
• Freesias perform best in full sun or light shade, in moist and well-drained soils. The soil has to be kept moist during the growing season. Staking is advised to keep the stems upright. Alternatively, you may plant them among low-growing groundcover (like Iberis or Ajuga) for some support.
• Freesias constitute lovely garden plants, providing striking color and contrast to the perennial border. Perfect for the cutting garden, Freesias make excellent cut flowers, Some of them may last up to 3 weeks in a vase when cut in bud!
• Requiring minimal maintenance, Freesias are virtually disease-free and pest-free. They are deer and rabbit resistant.

Click here to compare all Freesia varieties

• Named after German physician Friedrich Freese (1795-1876), Freesias are native to South Africa. They are frost-tender perennials that grow from corms.
• In USDA Zones 9-10 where Freesias are winter hardy, they may be planted outdoors in fall. Not sure about your growing zone? Check here.
• In cooler areas, Freesias may be planted outdoors from spring to early summer for flowering in summer and fall. They may also be planted indoors in the fall for late winter and early spring flowers.
• Plant the corms 2 in. deep, pointy end upwards, and 3 in. apart. Plant in groups of a minimum 6-8 plants for best visual impact.
• You may plant them in succession in order to extend their bloom period. Plants normally produce flowers 10-12 weeks after planting. Pick them when the first couple of flowers in the spray are open.
• After bloom, reduce watering and allow the foliage to yellow and wilt. If you live in a cool area (hardiness zones 3-8) and want to save your bulbs, you may lift and store your corms in a cool dry location (55°F or 12°C) until next spring.
• Propagate by offsets in fall or by seed in spring