When you think of popular spring flowers like tulips, daffodils, crocuses, and dahlias, the first thing that comes to mind might be that they’re all bulbs. While that’s true for tulips and daffodils, there’s a bit more to the story. Crocuses are corms, and dahlias are tuberous roots. Let’s take a closer look at each type of storage system to help you understand how they work and how to best care for them.
What Are Bulbs?
True bulbs are miniature plants in a neat little package. These miniature plants contain fleshy, modified leaves that act as food reserves, all wrapped up in a neat, compact package. The bulb has a basal plate at the bottom, which connects it to the roots. It’s also usually covered by dry papery leaves known as a tunic. Inside this remarkable package lies the embryo of the flower, which eventually sprouts and grows into a beautiful bloom.
Common examples of bulbs include hyacinths, lilies, amaryllis, and even onions.
What Are Corms?
Corms are often confused with bulbs, but they are actually quite different. Rather than fleshy, modified leaves, corms are a mass of modified stem tissue. Like bulbs, they have a basal plate at the bottom and a dry papery tunic. However, unlike bulbs, corms do not store their energy in leaves but in the stem tissue itself. The old corm dies off during the growing season, but new corms form beside or on top of the old one.
Common examples of corms include crocus, gladioli, and freesias.
What Are Tubers?
Tubers are swollen masses of stem tissue. Unlike bulbs and corms, they lack a basal plate or a papery covering. Tubers have tough, thick skin, and their roots grow from the surface. New shoots will grow only from the knobby projections called “eyes.”
Potatoes, begonias, and anemones are all well-known tubers.
What Are Tuberous Roots?
Tuberous roots are a specific type of root system where the fat, fleshy roots act as nutrient storage chambers, rather than storing energy in the stem. Unlike tubers, tuberous roots only generate new growth at the base of the stem. These plants need to be handled carefully: never separate the tuberous roots unless each segment contains part of the growing stem.
Dahlias and ranunculus are great examples of plants with tuberous roots.
What Are Rhizomes?
Rhizomes are thickened stems that grow horizontally beneath the soil surface. Roots grow from the base of the stem, while leaves grow from the top and sides. Some rhizomes produce small detachable shoots called “pips,” which can be removed and stored for later planting.
German-bearded iris and Gloriosa lilies are common examples of rhizomes.
Why Does This Matter?
While the names and structures may differ, the one thing that all of these plants have in common is their ability to store energy to help them survive adverse conditions. Most of these plants enter a dormant state to rest and recharge, either naturally through cold winters or summer droughts or by the grower’s hand, as is the case with potted bulbs like amaryllis.
Whether you’re planting bulbs, corms, tubers, or rhizomes in your garden, understanding their storage systems will help you provide the care they need to flourish year after year.
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