Freesia, Freesia spp., is a perennial corm in the Iridaceae or iris family with six to 12 funnel-shaped flowers on each gracefully arching stem.
Native to South Africa, it grows in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 10, where it blooms from late winter to early spring. In Zones 3 to 8, it performs well as a late-summer flower.
Freesia requires temperatures of 50 to 70°F during the day and 40 to 55°F at night to bloom well. It is frost-tender and does not tolerate temperatures below 25°F.
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Cultural requirements include a full sun to partial shade location, organically-rich, sandy loam with a pH of 6.5 to 7.0, and moderate moisture.
Mature dimensions are 12 to 18 inches tall with a spread of 6 to 12 inches. The approximate length of time from planting to flowering is 110 to 120 days.
What You’ll Learn
Our guide to growing freesia has all you need to know to enjoy plants at your house.
This article provides instructions for when and how to plant freesia corms.
Let’s get started!
Types of Bulbs and Timing
When you’re shopping for freesia corms, often referred to as bulbs, you’ll find that there are two types: Unprepared and prepared, sometimes called heat-treated or untreated.
In Zones 9 to 10, where the weather is warm and freesia is winter hardy, unprepared types are available in late summer to early fall.
These will grow as perennials, remaining in the ground through winter dormancy. Plant the corms in autumn for flowers in late winter to early spring.
To extend the growing season, some gardeners succession plant every few weeks from late summer to early winter for continuous winter-to-spring blooming.
In cooler Zones 3 to 8, where freesia bulbs are frost-tender, purchase prepared types in late winter to early spring that have been heat-treated to mimic the warm period of dormancy.
These are grown as annuals that go into the ground after the last spring frost date and bloom in late summer.
According to the experts at the Royal Horticultural Society, if you lift the freesia bulbs after they have finished blooming and store them in a location that’s 80°F with 75 to 80 percent humidity for 14 to 20 weeks, you may be able to encourage them to rebloom the following spring.
In addition to outdoor cultivation in cooler regions, you can plant prepared bulbs in pots in the fall, keep them in a greenhouse or indoors with 50 to 70°F (daytime) and 40° to 55°F (nighttime) temperatures, and enjoy winter blooms in your home.
Purchasing Tips
Select the largest bulbs for the biggest, best quality freesia blooms.
They should feel dry, firm, and plump without blemishes, decay, or mold. The papery tunics should be intact and the tops pointy.
You’ll find many attractive single and double-petal cultivated varieties on the market, or a mix of different type of bulbs.
Double Mix offers a varied collection of brightly colored, fragrant double blooms with a mature height of 12 to 16 inches.
Freesia Double Mix is available from Eden Brothers in packages of 20, 40, or 100 bulbs.
How to Plant
With freesia bulbs in hand, select a location in full sun to part shade outdoors and work the soil to a depth of four inches until it is uniformly crumbly and free from rocks and debris.
Conduct a soil test to determine the pH and amend it if necessary per the instructions you receive with your results.
To grow them in containers, fill your chosen vessels three-quarters full of all-purpose potting soil.
When you have your soil ready, it’s time to plant.
Set the corms in the ground, pointed side up, approximately two inches deep with the tip just above the soil surface. Space them two to three inches apart.
Water lightly after planting. If possible, try to use non-fluoridated, low-mineral water to prevent excess mineral salt buildup. Options include collecting rainwater or purchasing purified water.
Keep the soil lightly moist until sprouts appear, then maintain even moisture by watering once a week in the absence of rain. It’s better to err on the side of too little than too much to avoid rotting.
Staking may be necessary to keep the stems upright as they mature. Instead of trying to fit an apparatus later and risking damage, it’s best to install your supports at planting time.
I use these half-round support rings. Each half measures 10.4 inches tall and 6.3 inches wide to accommodate mature dimensions.
Half-Round Plant Support Rings
Use two half rings to enclose each group of corms for dependable stem support.
Half-Round Plant Support Rings are available from Zotuk via Amazon.
Once buds form, fertilize bimonthly with an all-purpose liquid product rich in potassium, such as you would use for tomatoes.
The tomato plant food from TPS Nutrients delivers a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK) ratio of 3-3-5, making it suitable for nourishing freesia.
TPS Nutrients Tomato Fertilizer
Tomato Fertilizer is available from TPS Plant Foods via Amazon in eight-ounce, 32-ounce, or gallon containers.
If you’re growing your freesia as perennials, allow the foliage to remain in place after flowering to feed the corm and promote offset (cormlet) formation.
Discontinue fertilizing and watering when the foliage withers.
If you are planning to discard the freesia bulbs postseason, you can stop feeding and watering once the flowers fade.
Gardeners who lift and store corms should continue supplying food and moisture until the leaves shrivel.
Patience Required
Let’s recap.
Freesia is a frost-tender, cool-weather perennial or annual that performs best with daytime temperatures of 60 to 70°F and nights in the 40 to 55°F range.
They enjoy full sun to part shade with fertile, moderately moist, well-draining soil.
Purchase unprepared bulbs to grow as perennials in Zones 9 to 10 and sow them in autumn for late winter to spring blooms.
To grow freesias as annuals in Zones 3 to 8, buy prepared bulbs and set them out after the last spring frost date for a late summer display.
Discard or lift and store them in high heat and humidity for replanting next season.
Alternatively, pot up prepared types in the fall and place them in a greenhouse with cool days and cooler nights for winter blossoms.
Sow corms about two inches deep with the tips showing and fertilize bimonthly when buds appear.
And remember, with a 110- to 120-day maturity period, patience is also required.
Suspend feeding and watering when the foliage fades to brown. For annuals to be discarded, discontinue when the flowers fade.
Do you grow freesia? Please share your growing tips in the comments section below.
And for more information about growing flowers, add these guides to your reading list next:
Hi Nan,
Thank you very much for the helpful information, which is just what I needed to start planting Freesia in my zone (9). I wanted to do it today but needed to order the half-round rings. Quick question, though. When you said to fertilize freesia bimonthly, did you mean every two months or twice a month? Please clarify. Thank you.
Hi Mercy –
We’re glad you found the information helpful. Thank you for your question. We recommend fertilizing freesia twice a month.