Tuberose is a must-have for any gardener who enjoys sweet, floral-scented flowers. These plants, often recognized as among the most fragrant flowers in the world, produce clusters of stunning, big, pure white blossoms on stalks up to 4′ tall. It’s no surprise that florists love these beauties for weddings as well as other special occasions! Tuberose is native to Mexico and is most suited to warm-weather gardens, although they can also be grown in cooler climates in sunny spots. This useful guide can help you learn more.
What Is Tuberose? Tuberose Flower Info
The genus Polianthes, a small group of approximately a dozen species that includes P. tuberosa, is part of the plant family Agavaceae. These Central American natives are adaptable in zones 8-10 but not frost-tolerant, therefore they are planted as annuals.
Like daylilies in appearance, tuberose foliage has 2 to 3 feet tall, green leaves. In the middle to end of the summer, each stalk can produce a dozen or more white blooms, though they may not open if the heat is extremely stifling.
True to its agave ancestry, the flowers are a little waxy and provide some protection against desiccation, although they may still shrivel in direct sunlight at temperatures of 95 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. If your summers are like this, place the bulbs where they will get some afternoon shade.
How to Plant Tuberose Flowers
For your flower, pick a location with hot afternoon sun. Put down a layer of compost that is 4 inches (10 cm) thick to promote adequate drainage and give the soil the nutrients it needs. Before beginning to bloom, the tuberose plant has a growing season that lasts for 5 to 6 months. Thus, if you reside in an area with shorter seasons, you may start the bulbs indoors. Start your project 2 months before the final frost.
If you want to grow these flowers outside, do it in the spring when the threat of frost has passed, and the nighttime temperature does not go below 60 F. (15.5 C). Your tuberose could be multiplied using seeds, bulbs, bulb segments, or bulblets.
Propagation by bulbs
The most typical method of growing tuberose is this way. The method is really easy to follow. Plant individual tuberose bulbs with a diameter of 0.6 inches (1.50 cm) in your garden. Depending on the area you reside in, you should start planting around March to May, though you can also plant flowers between July and August.
Get a garden shovel and dig a hole that is 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) deep as your initial action. Place a clump within the hole after filling the hole with the loose, modified soil in half. Be sure to turn the buds upward.
After thoroughly watering the area, add a layer of dirt that is 2 inches (5 cm) thick over the bulbs. The first flowers should start to bloom 90 to 120 days after planting, in the late summer or early autumn.
Propagation by bulb segments
You can utilize this strategy because mature bulb propagation can be rather expensive. Simply cut bulbs that are 0.8 inches (2 cm) in diameter into 2 to 3 vertical portions.
Make sure each component includes a portion of the basal plate that has a bud. After applying a copper fungicide, segments should be inserted vertically into a rooting medium with the bud facing upward.
Planting seeds
It is a challenging method of Tuberose propagation. When seeds are sown in January, 70 to 80 percent of them should eventually germinate.
Tuberose Care
Although tuberoses prefer moist soil, they require full sun to bloom to their fullest potential. A 3-inch mulch layer will help keep your tuberose wet. Tuberoses have a medium to high food need. A slow-release granular fertilizer should be used at the start of the season. To promote flowering, a 5-10-5 fertilizer will supply the essential phosphorus.
You must determine if you wish to store your tuberose bulbs for the following year at the end of the growing season in zones 6 and colder. If so, remove them, allow them to dry, and then keep them in a cool location.
Spacing: The ideal spacing for planting bulbs is 8 inches by 8 inches (20 cm by 20 cm) or 8 inches by 12 inches (30.5 cm by 30.5 cm). You’ll give your Tuberose great ventilation if you do it that way.
Soil: If you provide your plant with fertile, wet, and well-drained soil, it will flourish. The greatest option is soil that is light, friable, loamy, or sandy loam and has sufficient nutrients for strong, robust growth. It’s also critical to verify the pH level, which should be between 6.5 and 7.5.
Light: The optimum conditions for Tuberose are full sun and good airflow and drainage. To ensure plentiful blooming, shield your plant from strong winds. If you plant this flower in shade, you won’t receive the desirable, beautiful blossoms; instead, you’ll get tall plants. The recommended amount of sunlight per day is therefore between 6 and 8 hours. Your plant will require the equivalent of 16 hours of suitable artificial lighting each day during the winter. Your Tuberose will only flourish in this manner.
Temperatures: Tuberose needs temperatures that are both subtropical and tropical. Temperatures between 70 and 75 F (21 and 24 C) are optimum for growing a robust and healthy plant. To prevent any frost damage, be sure to maintain warm, humid conditions and shield your flower from temps below 60 F (15.5 C). The quality of the blooms and spike length will suffer in climates above 105 F (40.5 C).
Watering: Once the top 0.5 to 1 inch (1.2 – 2.5 cm) of the soil is dry, water your flower and allow the extra moisture to drain. Throughout the growing season, use a watering garden can and water liberally at least once every week. Typically, 2.5 – 3.8 cm (1 – 1.5 inches) of water every week is sufficient. However, be careful to avoid overwatering the plant and the resulting root rot. As the temperature drops and the foliage turns yellow in the fall, gradually cut back on watering.
Fertilizing: This flower requires a lot of food; therefore, you should fertilize it early in the growing season. The granular, slow-release kind is your best bet. Until the growing season is over, feed the flower every 3 to 6 weeks. The idea is to promote blossoming; thus, you must fertilize the soil with the correct amount of phosphorus. Avoid using too much nitrogen, which promotes the growth of excessively lush leaves, at the same time.
Mulching: Even though tuberoses need full sun to bloom profusely, they can’t bear the earth being dry and cracked where they’re supposed to be blooming. As a result, add a layer of mulch that is 3 inches (7.6 cm) thick to keep the soil moist. It will also stop weeds from growing.
Tuberose FAQs
What is the tuberose meaning?
White tuberose is frequently used in bridal bouquets because it symbolizes innocence, serenity, and purity. Another benefit is that it guards against evil spirits, which is a great excuse to tuck a sprig of the plant into your buttonhole.
What does tuberose smell like?
India-born tuberose has a narcotic aroma that is slightly medical in the top notes, resembling an ointment. However, after a few seconds, tuberose gives a sulfurous tuberose scent that is lavish to the point of excessive and exotic. Tuberose is highly sensual and toxic.
Will Tuberose come back every year?
One of the strongest floral aromas is produced by their towering spikes of waxy white blooms, and their essential oil is a key component in perfumery. Growing from offset-producing rhizomes, tuberoses are delicate perennials.
Is it simple to grow tuberose?
A bulb that is simple to grow, tuberose multiplies and divides with ease. They have tall, spectacular flowers with delicious fragrances that would be suitable for a perfumed garden. They are highly sought after by florists for giving fragrance to bouquets and cut floral arrangements because they make wonderful cut flowers.
How do you water tuberose?
Tuberose enjoys soil that is wet but well-drained. Only after the topsoil gets dry do we prefer to water. During sweltering summer days, apply water twice. Minimize waterlogging in the pot, though, as it can harm the plant.
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