Summer Flower Bulbs
General Care Tips
In general though, summer bulbs want full sunshine. The odd exception is noted.Summer flower bulbs also want decent soil for the most part.
While spring flowering bulbs will thrive in poor soil, no fertility to speak of and terrible conditions of heat and cold, summer bulbs are a little more precise in their requirements.
Good soil with compost added every spring is an excellent starting point for good summer bulbs.
And do remember that many of these bulbs have to be dug up and stored for the winter in cold climates.
These bulbs almost uniformly want excellent drainage. No bulb does really well in heavy clay soils or soils that hold moisture. The bulb rots. (I note that when a bulb rots, the gnashing and wailing from the gardener increases proportionally to the level of bulb death.)
Summer Flower Bulb List
Achimenes is one of the small bulbs with lots of flowers. Not used nearly enough in container gardens or in shadier situations.Acidenthera
Agapanthus
Q&A My agapanthus won't bloom. Why?
Amaryllis belladonna is the real amaryllis, the winter flower is a Hippeastrum. Go figure.
Anemone coronaria or windflower is a tender summer flowering bulb in reds, blues, pinks and whites.
Babiana or Baboon Flower is a tender South African native. Here's the answer to whether you can grow it.
Begonia are gorgeous but love the warmth (not sun)
Bletilla striata is a member of the orchid family and a real beauty in the part shade.
Calla lilies (Calla palustris) are superb and hardy flowering plants that will delight the bog garden grower for many years.
Camassia are one of the most underused perennial bulbs in the garden.
Cannas Flower Bulbs are showy tropicals you definitely want in containers or in your big beds.
Colocasia or Elephant Ear Bulbs are spectacular tropical tubers that put on a massive foliage display and are well worth growing. Here's how to grow and overwinter them.
Crinum or Swamp lily is a fun little bulb that is excellent for balcony gardening or bulb container gardening.
Crocosmia are wonderful bulbs with flaming flowers. Put a few of these together in a garden bed and watch the visitors flock there in late summer.
Dahlia are one of the four top summer blooming bulbs by the number of bulbs sold.
Planting dahlia information here or
Storing dahlia bulbs information here Even though they're actually a tuber and not a bulb.:-)
Eremurus is a tuberous rooted member of the lily family that blooms in early summer but is one of the most stunning plants for the early summer garden.
Eucomis or Pineapple Lily is a bulb that more folks should consider growing. Looks like a pineapple. Fun.
Freesia are a gardener's dream and here's the tricks to growing them.
Galtonia candicans has nodding, white, fragrant flowers in mid-summer. What else do you need to know? (click the link to find out)
Gladiolus are wonderfully huge flowering and easy to grow
Gloriosa or Flame Lily is a tender vine with a glorious flower.
Hemerocallis or Daylilies aren't really lilies but they are easy to grow and bloom for a very long time if you follow the suggestions in this article.
Hymenocallis or Summer Daffodil is a tender Peruvian bulb that makes an excellent mid-summer show in the garden or containers.
Liatris or Gayfeather is a plant that should be grown much more often. There's one for every full, hot sunny garden with decent soils.
Lilium or lilies are delightful bulbs and so easy to grow it is sinful. One of the most historic of flower bulbs.
Ornithogalum or Chincherinchees are white summer bloomers with a funny name. Grow in shade and damp soils.
Oxalis is one of those wonderful small bulbs for containers or the front of the perennial border. Here are the details of growing the tender species.
Ranunculus make excellent cut flowers for summer bouquets.
Q&A - when can I transplant my ranuncuuls
Sparaxis corms are great for containers.
Tigridia or Mexican Tiger Flower demands specific care and attention if you want to succeed.
Zantedeschia is also called Calla Lily and you'll want to grow this plant for sure.
You definitely want to get some tips on calla lily garden design
Zephyranthes are a small flowering bulb but one you can easily start and increase from seed.
Need to Ask a Question About Summer Bulbs
If you have a question about growing summer bulbs that's not covered in the website, this is the place to ask it.
Please be as specific as you can.
Understand that I'm one writer trying to help folks out (not some big company) and I simply can't answer every question I get. Please check out the regional forums where there are a lot of other gardeners willing to help you out. (see navigation bar)
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What Other Visitors Have Asked About Summer Bulbs
Click below to see what other gardeners have asked about summer bulbs
When to dig up, seperate & replant Day Lillies We have a bunch of day lillies that bloom in mid summer, around June to July, the flowers grow about 20 to 30" tall and are mostly orange in color with ...
wedding flowers for summer im planning an august wedding and would like to grow the flowers myself. im looking for lillies that i can have mid august and how to grow them. im planning ...
my acidanthera are not flowering I planted acidanthera in pots following guidleines about depth, spacing watering etc. There a re masses of green leaves but no flowers - what am I doing ...
When do I move calla lillies
When is the time to move calla lillies and how do I do this?
Doug says that the calla can be moved in the mid-fall or very early spring before it is ...
"Naked Ladies" Summer blooming bulb I have some bulbs that are supposed to have pink flowers - no leaves in the summer. Leaves appear in the early spring and then die back and in the summer ...
cutting back asiatic lillies
after my asiatic lillies have bloom and are beginning to dry out, can i cut them back to ground level. if not is any pruning recommended?
Doug says ...
How deep do I plant bulbs that are budding already? I am just embarking on the adventure of gardening so I know Nothing about planting bulbs! Your website has lots of great info (Thank You!) as far as how ...
Plant Bulbs in Michigan We go to our house in the UP of Michigan in the summer. I planted spring blooming bulbs last fall and they're beautiful - tulips, daffodils, crocus, etc!...
moving an Iris
I have an 8 year old iris it only bloomed 2 times. The leaves come up great. When can I move it? It does get alot of shade.
Doug says - move it early ...
Dahlias and slugs I love Dahlias, but if I put them into a pot or in the ground, the slugs do such a number on them.....it isn't worth it....I'm in zone 5. The slugs eat ...
Growing small gladiola in containers
What size pot to use and how deep to plant a single glad bulb in a small container for a senior gardening project?
Doug says the problem is that the ...
Bullbs in the desert I live in an area that rarely freezes and the temps. seldom get below 40 degrees Do I dig up my bulbs in the fall if if the temps. are warm?? They seem ...
Zantedaschia failing to flower The plant,which is in a large pot, is in excellent condition with magnificent foliage but has not flowered for the past two years. Can you please supply ...
YELLOWING LEAVES ON CALLA LILY
WHAT CAUSES THE LEAVES THE TURN YELLOW & DIE? MY CALLA LILY IS IN A POT OUTSIDE.
Doug says that yellowing leaves are caused by a range of things....
Cali Lilly Seed Pod? I grew a white cali lilly and it bloomed once within the first few months, now its got what looks like a seed pod and its been there about 2 weeks, But,...
Can I move a bulb now (June)? and garden renovation It's my first summer at the new house and it had at one time a beautiful garden full of perenials which was planted by the original owner and was severely ...
What to do with potted Calla Lilly? A friend gave me a potted Calla Lily for Easter and I am wondering what to do with it. The leaves are mostly yellow now probably due to me overwatering ...
What is it? Purchased bulbs a bit ago and now can't remember what they are. The down side of the bulb (?) or root has several long finger like apendages about 4 or ...
Summer Bulbs
What are some summer bulbs that do not need to be dug up for the winter months?
Doug says that this info is in all the bulb listings on this page.
In ...
If you want to ask a question about summer flowering bulbs, click here
