BULB DICTIONARY

Tired of reading the technical and confusing how-to's of gardening? You are not alone. For those who find themselves desperately seeking a handbook to decode the gardening manual, this section is for you.

Annual

a plant that completes it's lifecycle (growth, seeds for next year, death) in one year

Anther

the pollen-bearing end of the male organ (stamen) of a flower; the anther usually protrudes from the center of the flower

Bare Root Plant

a plant that is sold with the roots exposed, rather than already potted in soil

Basal plate

the lower, usually round surface of a bulb from which the roots grow

Biennial

a plant that completes it's lifecycle in two years (e.g. - sweet william, parsley)

Bracts

on some plants, these are the colorful leaves that attract attention instead of a blossom (e.g. - poinsettias)

Broadcast

to scatter seed and fertilizer

Bolting

a plant that flowers and produces seeds too soon

Bulblet

a small, offset bulb, usually produced on the underground stem of the parent bulb

Calyx

refers collectively to all the sepals together that enclose and protect the flower in bud; typically found beneath the open flower

Corm

type of bulbs that is solid and hard in substance and usually rounded and slightly flattened
(e.g. - crocus, gladiolus)

Corolla

a collective word for the union of all petals together that form part of the flower structure

Corona

an interior flower structure, found between the corolla (all petals together) and the stamens, that resembles a crown or, as it is called for daffodils, a cup

Crown

a plant's crown is the spot where it's roots and stem meet

Cultivar

an artificially created variety (through breeding or hybridization), like all of the different varieties of roses that exist today; the word comes from combining "cultivated variety"

Cup

a part of a flower that exists between all the petals (corolla) and stamens of daffodils for instance; quite often the color of the cup is different from the petals; sometimes also called ‘corona’

Cutting

a section of a stem that is cut off; it's lower leaves are removed, and it is partly buried in the soil so
it will form roots

Deadhead

to increase the number of flowerbuds and extend the blooming time of an annual or perennial by snipping off the flowers after they fade but before they go to seed; the growers in Holland do this well to enhance the growth of the bulbs themselves (e.g. - impatiens, petunias)

Dibble

a small tool used for transplanting or pricking out seedlings

Disbud

to remove flower buds from clusters so that the remaining flowers grow larger

Divide

to separate overcrowded clumps of bulbs or plants into smaller, plantable pieces to stimulate new growth
and more flowers

Dormancy

the yearly cycle in a plant's life when growth slows and the plant rests (do not fertilize during this time)

Double flower

a flower with many overlapping petals which gives it a very full appearance

Drainage

the movement of water downward through the soil. If soil is saturated with water air is forced out and roots perish from lack of oxygen. Good drainage is essential for all bulbs

Drift

a long, natural irregular free form planting (like a drift of daffodils that imitate the look of bulbs in the wild)

Eye

a not-yet-active and barely visible bud

Filament

the stalk of the male organ (stamen) of a flower

Flat

a shallow box used to start cuttings or seedlings

Foliage

a fancy term for leaves

Forcing

the process of speeding up a plant's growth to maturity or bloom

Full shade

refers to a location that receives no direct sunlight

Full sun

refers to a location that receives six or more hours of direct sunlight

Genus

a group of plant/bulb species that are structurally related (e.g. - Tulipa / 'tulips')

Hardening off

acclimating a plant to an outdoor climate after growing them indoors; should be done gradually and with protection from the sun

Hardiness

the ability of a plant to withstand specific environmental conditions like low temperatures or frost without artificial protection

Hardiness Zone map

gardeners need a way to compare their garden climates with the climate where a plant is known to grow well; that's why climate zone maps were created. Zone maps are tools that show where various permanent landscape plants can adapt

Hardpan

the impervious layer of soil or clay that lies beneath the topsoil

Hybrid

the result of a cross (breeding) of two parent plants (often of two different species)

Inflorescence

the flowering structure: the complete overall arrangement of flowers on a plant

Involute

a flower petal that is turned inward. Sufficient involution will create a tubular petal which may be referred to as Fully involute or Quilled (e.g. - Ball-type dahlias)

Inter-planting

mixing and matching different types of plants to create depth, height, structure, a certain color scheme and to ensure something different is in bloom almost all season long. For instance planting tulips scattered amongst your perennials

Invasive plants

such trees, shrubs, and vines can spread quickly; left unchecked, this growth can end up choking out
all other desirable plantings

Leaf mold

decomposed leaves valuable for mulching and improving soil quality

Lifting

digging up a bulb from the ground gently

Loam

a relatively equal mix of sand, silt, and clay that keeps a garden healthy; loam soil is high in organic matter and usually has good drainage

Microclimate

variations of the climate within a given area (such as when it's raining at your house but the sun is
shining across the street)

Mulch

depending on your budget, effectiveness of intended purpose, appearance, and availability a wide variety of materials can be used: compost, leaves, straw, bark nuggets, shredded wood, pine needles, crushed stones and even animal manure

Mulching

placing a layer of mulch across your flower beds with the multiple purpose of fertilizing , preventing erosion and maintaining a more balanced moisture level (less evaporation), improving soil quality 

and/or protecting from winter frost

Naturalizing

when bulbs and plants in the right environment (usually something close to their native habitat) multiply and return each year in randomly changing patterns, making it appear as if they grew naturally like wildflowers

N-P-K

you will find this term used in fertilizer formulas to indicate the ratios of certain elements; the letters stand for nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. How do you know what is beneficial for what? Just remember "Little Red Flower": L stands for leaves, R for roots and F for, well yes, flowers; nitrogen enhances the growth of the leaves, Phosphorous the roots and Potassium the flowers; NPK = LRF

Offset

small bulb that is produced from a mature bulb. They can be separated and planted on their own. Larger offsets will bloom the first year after separation, smaller ones may take a year or two

Percolate

to filter through a porous substance like soil, gravel, or sand

Perennial

a plant is considered perennial if it lives for two or more seasons (e.g. - hostas, daffodils, daylilies)

Perianth

the outer, non-sexual parts of a flower, including the petals or sepals both; used to attract pollinators
such as bees

Petal

the often brightly colored, individual leaves that surround the reproductive parts of a plant’s flower

pH

a chemistry term, the value of which indicates whether your soil is 'Acid' (pH value between 4.0 and 6.9)
or 'Alkaline' (pH value between 7.1 and 9.0); the latter is common in chalky or lime soils which are best
for many bulbs

Pinching

to encourage a fuller form or bigger blooms, pinch off (remove) growing tips or shoots of young plants or flower bulbs

Pistil

the female part of the flower that accepts pollen. It is made up of ovary, style and stigma

Plant habit

the form a plant naturally takes as it grows, such as spreading or climbing

Reflexed

a flower petal that is bent outward or backward (e.g. - tigridias, tiger lilies)

Rhizome

a type of bulb with solid tissue and usually elongated in shape (e.g. - cannas, callas)

Root ball

the network of roots along with the attached soil, of any given plant

Sepal

individual leaf-like structures, usually green, that enclose the flower in bud stage

Spadix

an inflorescence of many tiny flowers clustered on a central stalk (e.g. - Calla lilies, Jack-in-the-pulpit)

Spathe

also called a ‘bract’ at times: a showy, modified leaf that has developed in what almost looks like a flower and encloses a spadix (e.g. - Calla lilies, caladiums, Jack-in-the-pulpit)

Species

a group of plants/bulbs having similar distinctive characteristics; a species is a subordinate member of a genus (e.g. - 'Darwin hybrid')

Sport

a plant/bulb that is distinctly different from its parents, resulting from a natural mutation

Staking

providing support to a taller-growing plant with a stick, rod or ring and some wire, twist ties, or rope

Stamen

the male organ of the flower, which produces and bears pollen at the end of a stalk (filament)

Stigma

the top of the female organ (pistil) of a flower; when sticky, it receives pollen from the anther

Strain

a group of hybrid plants producing offspring that are more or less true to their parents

Style

a part of the female organ (pistil) of a flower; it is the elongated section upon which the stigma rests

Tepals

so called when the petals and sepals of a flower look similar

Top-dress

to evenly spread fertilizers or other soil amendments (mulch, compost) over the surface of the soil

Transplanting

digging up a plant and moving it to another location

(True) Bulbs

think of them as very big seeds: an underground stem with a growing point surrounded by fleshy scales which store their food (e.g. - tulips, snowdrops, onions)

Tuber

a type of bulb which varies widely in shape and size (e.g. - begonias, dahlias)

Umbel

a ball-like flower cluster with individual flower stems sprouting from a common point at the top of the stem

Underplanting

deliberately creating or introducing a canopy or garden layers by planting taller-growing species alongside shorter-growing species, particularly with bulbs near or under trees and shrubs

Variegated

foliage that is striped or marked with a color other than the basic green leaf

Variety

variations in species that occur in nature or that have been cultivated by man (e.g. - 'Pink Impression')

Wet feet

a garden location with poor drainage that leaves plants in constant moisture, which may end up
suffocating and rotting their roots