Sweet, fruity smelling flowers are popular for weddings
The Spruce / K. Dave
Freesia(Freesiaspp.)
produces exotic-looking floral trumpets commonly used as wedding flowers in bouquets or floral arrangements.
Seasonal corms grow quickly in spring.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Healthy plants should produce five to seven tubular flowers per stem, all pointing in one direction like fingers.
Freesia foliage is narrow and grass-like.
Choose a sunny garden bed with soil that is rich but not heavy.
The Spruce / K. Dave
A sandy garden loam amended with humus orcompostis ideal.
The plants look best when grouped in bunches of five to seven.
Space corms about three inches apart, then water the planting area well.
The Spruce / K. Dave
Freesias should start blooming about 12 weeks after planting the corms.
What Do Freesias Symbolize?
White freesias are popular for weddings and stand for innocence, purity, and love.
The Spruce / K. Dave
What Do Freesia Plants Look Like?
Each freesia stem can grow about a foot high, producing six to twelve trumpet-shaped, upward-facing blossoms.
They grow along one side of the stem in a single line (sessile).
Their flowers grow from a central stalk that has sword-shaped leaves.
According to florists, specific colors have special meanings.
White is most often used for weddings, symbolizing purity and innocence.
Pink stands for motherly love.
Yellow signifies joy and friendship.
Red is a symbol of passionate love.
Multicolored freesias are most often a sign of friendship.
Plant and Bloom Length and Height
Freesia plants can grow from one to two feet tall.
Most flower stems are about 12 to 15 inches tall.
Each freesia blossom is about 3/4 to 1 1/2 inches in size.
Some consider the red and pink flowers to have the headiest scent.
Planting a Freesia Corm
These plants are native to warm South Africa.
Freesias can be planted indoors or outdoors; however, the corms will die if exposed to frost.
The times for planting differ based on your USDA hardiness zone.
Freesias look their best planted in groups instead of rows.
If growing outdoors in any other zone, plant them in the spring after the last frost.
If growing freesias in indoor pots for early summer flowering, plant them from January to March.
double-check the bed drains well since standing water will rot the corms.
If planting in pots, choose deeper pots if possible since freesias have a long taproot.
you’re free to plant them closer together in a pot.
Six corms will fit comfortably in a five-inch pot.
Give a little space in between them, about an inch.
If using a larger pot, spread the bulbs about two inches apart.
Plant your corms about one inch deep with the pointed end up.
A grow-through staking system with a grid supporting the flowers and leaves will keep the plants upright.
Cut the flowers when the first bloom on the stem is open and the rest begin to show color.
Light
Freesias grow best in full sun.
However, they can tolerate a planting location with some morning shade.
If you’re growing them indoors, a sunny window that faces south is ideal.
Soil
Well-draining soil is vital for freesia plants.
you might amend the soil with organic material, such as peat moss or compost, to improve drainage.
Most regular potting mixes will do if you’re planting in a container.
Water
Keep the soil moist but not soggy as new sprouts are growing.
Then, water your plants around once a week when they’re flowering.
Reduce watering to allow the soil to dry out if the foliage turns yellow and begins to wilt.
However, the plants need nighttime temperatures around 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit to form buds.
For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
However, the plants are probably entering dormancy, not dying, so dont discard them.
Once the foliage yellows, you may trim it off.
Use clean, sharpprunersto minimize damage.
Dig up the dormant corms after the foliage fades to protect freesia corms from freezing temperatures.
You’ll notice small corms forming as offsets from the parent corm.
Freesia plants do best as individual container specimens because of their specific growing requirements.
Select a container with ample drainage holes, and fill it with a well-draining potting mix.
Water the soil well, and set the container where it will receive full sun outside.
Indoors, place the pot where it will get bright, indirect light.
Keep the soil moist (but not soaking wet), and expect flowers in about 12 weeks.
Indoor potted freesia will typically bloom in winter.
Overwintering
Once active growing is over, allow the foliage to yellow and wilt.
To preserve freesia plants in the ground in frosty zones, dig up the corms before the frost.
Dry them and keep them in a warm space (77 to 86 degrees).
Keep them separated, such as wrapped in newspaper.
Replant them in the spring after the threat of frost is gone.
For aphids, you might useinsecticidal soapdaily and wipe away dead bugs with a clean cloth.
Slugs and snails should be removed by hand; then, you could leave slug or snail bait.
A simple bait is a little dish with beer, which attracts them.
They’ll drown in the liquid.
Dig up the corms and separate them.
Also, do not plant them too deep.
Corms planted too deep may not form flowers.
If your foliage is outdoing your flower production, you might be using the wrong fertilizer.
Nitrogen-heavy fertilizers focus plant production on leaves instead of flowers.
Freesia will not bloom in zones with year-round heat; it must have cool nighttime temperatures to form flowers.
Common Problems with Freesia
Freesias are hardy and easy to grow.
However, they can sometimes have a few issues.
Use a steady stream of water, insecticidal soap, or horticultural oil to eliminate the soft-bodied insects.
It can also be a sign of fusarium wilt.
Fusarium is an incurable fungus, and all infected plants must be destroyed.
If most of the plant is infected, pull and dispose of it to prevent its spread.
Reduce watering if your plant has a minor infection.
If all other conditions are ideal, it may be able to recover on its own.
This fungal condition usually means waterlogged soil.
This plant needs well-draining soil.
To control its spread, remove all plant material with spots to stop the fungus.
Plants You Might Also Like
Freesia can return annually if grown in a warmer zone.
Freesias may be grown in full sun or some shade.
However, they grow best in cool spring temperatures.
They may stop blooming in temperatures warmer than 70 degrees.
Freesia corms multiply by forming offsets or baby corms branching off the parent corm.
Gently pull off the offset and plant it separately to produce another plant.
Hudson Institute of Mineralogy.
