Freesia Flower Guide: How to Grow the 19 Best Freesia Flowers

Herbaceous plants are cultivated for their powerful smell and pristine hues; freesia flowers are herbaceous plants. These low-growing springtime flowers originate from a solid bulb known as a corm and are native to Africa. With this simple guide, you'll learn about the most fantastic freesia flower kinds and how to grow and care for them.

Freesia produces a tuft of narrow leaves that can grow 12" long before blooming into a one-sided spike of fragrant flowers with 6 to 8 tepals.

Freesias survive a long time after being cut and can remain up to three weeks in a vase, so they're frequently used in flower arrangements.

The flower's unique appearance makes it a welcome addition to any home or garden.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind When It Comes to Grow Freesias

It's not difficult to grow freesias in the garden or indoors, and all you have to do is take into account your climate and plant them at the appropriate time. Follow our planting guidelines for both outdoor and indoor planting.

In The Garden, How to Plant Freesias

Early fall is the most acceptable time to plant freesias in the garden, and the most crucial thing is to pick a sunny location.

Step 1: Find a sunny location

Sun is required for freesias to thrive and produce beautiful blooms. More about light requirements in the freesia plant care section below.

Step 2: Sow the Corms

Plant the bulbs two inches deep, with the pointy end up, and at a somewhat wider spacing. Group your freesias in bunches of seven flowers to achieve a rich impression.

Step 3: Water and Mulch the Plants

When you're finished, water them thoroughly and mulch the area around them.

Step 4: Use a Helping Hand

Consider employing a stem support system, as stems are light and may not always be able to hold the weight of flowering kinds.

Step 5: Trim the Foliage

Trim the leaves after your freesias bloom in the spring, but don't discard them because they will become dormant.

Step 6: Take the Corms Out of The Ground

Because these flowers aren't cold hardy, it's better to dig out the corms after the leaves have fallen. Remove any faded areas of the corms by cutting back the stems and allowing them to dry.

Step 7: In The Spring, Replant The Corms

Store the corms in an excellent, dry, frost-free location, preferably in sand or peat, until spring, when you can replant them.

Here are several bulbs to get you started in your garden with this plant.

How to Grow a Freesia Plant from Seed

This flower grows best from corms, but it can also be grown from seed. Here are the main steps you should take.

1. After the plant blooms, the seed pods should ripen on the plant. This usually happens in summer.
2. Collect the seed once it has turned brown and produced vertical lines or striations.
3. After drying the seeds in a paper bag for a few days, filter them to remove the larger seeds.
4. Soak the seeds in warm water for a day before planting them in the spring.
5. Sow the seeds in compost-filled trays and keep them moist. After about a month, the seeds should sprout.
6. Please wait until the seedlings have developed genuine leaves before transplanting them into a pot.
7. After transplanting to pots, keep them outside between 55 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit (13 and 18 degrees Celsius) before planting them in the garden.

Here are various seed packets to get you started if you want to cultivate this flower from seeds.

This Article Will Show You How To Grow Freesias in a Pot

Freesia flowers can be grown in a pot without much difficulty. Plant the bulbs in an outside planter in the early spring.

If you reside in a warmer climate, you can also plant them in the fall, making sure they go dormant in the winter.

This can be accomplished by maintaining them in a colder environment of roughly 40°F (5°C)—but away from freezing conditions! Choose bulbs that have come out of dormancy if you're potting in the spring.

Begin by filling your container halfway with compost and halfway with grit. As previously said, these plants do not require a lot of soil.

However, make sure that the container you use has adequate drainage—if necessary, drill some additional holes in the bottom. Pebbles can also be used to help with drainage.

Then, follow the identical steps for garden plating, except that you don't need to add mulch to the pot.

Keep the pot in a fantastic, shady location until the corms develop, such as the garage. You can then place it in a bright window and continue to water it.

It's best to wait until the buds start to show color before bringing it inside.

It's Beneficial to Know

• During the growth period, your potted freesia requires sunlight to keep healthy.
• The majority of cultivars take at least 100 days to flower after being planted.
• To help alleviate the weight of the flowers off the stems, use cane supports or something similar.
• Keep your flower in a sunny area once it has bloomed, but keep it out of direct sunlight to extend the life of the blossoms.
• Because freesias rarely bloom in the same container, take the new corms and repot them according to the exact directions.

Freesia Care Instructions

The standard freesia care suggestions listed below can assist you in creating perfect circumstances for your flower. Remember, though, that each variety may have its own set of requirements. Always double-check your labeling!

Soil

Freesias thrive on sandy or stony soils in the garden.

Planting them in fertile, organic-rich soil is preferable since it will save you the effort of fertilizing them too frequently. Coastal freesia blooms, such as the Alba, can also thrive in wet soil.

We've put together a comprehensive guide on soil types, so be sure to look.

Standard potting soil will suffice if you're planting these blooms in a pot. Add peat moss or compost to guarantee optimum drainage, whether you're growing them outside or inside.

Light

Freesias are sun-loving plants that thrive in full sun to light shade. Because certain types prefer the sun more than others, double-check the directions that came with your plant or ask the seller.

Temperature

These plants are not cold-hardy and are subject to temperature changes. If the temperature dips below freezing, they will perish throughout the winter.

To return in the spring, they require minimum winter temperatures of considerably above 20-25°F (3.9-6.7°C).

However, freesias require nighttime temperatures of 50-55°F (10-12.8°C) to develop bulbs after being planted in the fall.

You may need to dig up the bulbs in the fall, store them in a container in an unheated garage or another cold place, then replant them in the spring, depending on your location.

Watering

When it comes to watering, these flowers aren't picky. It's best to keep the soil moist while the plant is producing new sprouts.

In most climates, watering your freesias once a week should suffice when they are flowering.

Freesias prefer 50 percent humidity, so you'll have to water them extra if you live in a dry region. Except for a few coastal types, these flowers despise wet soil.

Fertilizer

Apply a high-potassium or balanced fertilizer every two weeks when the first shoots appear. When the first buds form, they fertilize again.

Plant freesias in good soil and add compost; they don't require much fertilization.

Freesia Flower Types

Let's look at some of the freesia kinds you may cultivate in your garden or at home now that you know how to grow and care for these flowers.

These blooms occur in various colors and kinds, with some being more vibrant than others.

Learn about some of the most gorgeous and fragrant freesia flower varieties available for planting and growing.

1. White Speedy

There are some freesias that grow faster than others; Speedy White is one of them. Doesn't the name give it away?

This flower is elegant and delicate, with beautiful white petals around little yellow centers, and it looks fantastic in any setting.

2. Algarve

This species favors pale blues and soft whites. At the edges, it may appear purple.

It's one of the most exquisitely lovely freesias for container and border planting.

3. Golden Passion Freesia Flower

This variety has rich yellow blossoms and can have up to ten flowers on a single stem, more than most others.

It is, without a doubt, a spectacular appearance in any garden or container.

4. Oberon

The Oberon is a massive hit with flower enthusiasts with its veined, golden petals tinged with scarlet.

5. Pink Attraction Freesia Flower

This freesia's pale pink to deep pink petals curls nicely around one another, creating a rich, multidimensional bloom.

It's one of the most lovely pink cultivars available.

6. Honeymoon

This one is great for engagements and weddings, delicately merging blush pink with delicate white colors and proudly donning brilliant foliage.

Even if you didn't recognize it by name, you've probably seen it in at least one floral arrangement. It also looks great in a vase!

7. Corvette

If you stoop a little to sniff a clump of Corvette freesias, you'll want to carry them home with you.

This cultivar features big white petals arranged in layers, and it also grows at a rapid rate.

8. Vienna

Vienna freesias are easy to grow and keep with their milky white color. You can use them alone or in combination with more vibrantly colored blooms as border plants.

Their prominent flower heads and yellow blush in the centers will appeal to you.

9. Joan Evans

The three lowest petals of this white cultivar have raspberry fingerprint-like patterns, giving it an unmistakable appearance.

It's as if a naughty painter dipped her fingers in paint and mashed them on the white petals when no one was looking.

10. Alba

Alba is one of the most attractive white types, at least in our opinion. Alba can reach a height of 18".

If you live in a chilly climate, you'll like its yellow accents and durability compared to other types. It can also grow in coastal areas.

11. Ambassador

Ambassador freesias are known for their enormous white blossoms and pair well with vividly colored flowers in bouquets or centerpieces.

12. Virginia

This all-white bloom signifies innocence and purity. Please take a peek at the image below to see what we're talking about.

It has a lovely aroma that makes other flowers envious and colorful petals.

13. Ballerina

The Ballerina is a creamy-white freesia with thick petals that makes a lovely flower for bouquets and table settings.

It is a summer bloom that delights not only many eyes but also many nostrils each year.

14. Rain in Purple

Purple Rain is difficult to overlook, with its brightly colored double tepals and yellow-green center.

This type can be a fantastic choice if you seek a colorful bloom to grow in a pot or container.

15. Troubadour

Troubadour freesias have a bright yellow center that spreads into a reddish-pink blossom like a summer sun.

It's a romantic decision perfect for giving to a partner or a loved one.

16. Double Volcano Freesia Flower

With this vibrantly colored blossom, you can elicit more than just feelings of friendship. Double Volcano freesias come in all-red varieties and red versions with vivid orange-yellow centers.

17. Cote d'Azur Freesia Flower

Among the types on our list, the Cote d'Azur is one of the more exotic varieties, with purple and violet tones and a few delicate hints of white.

It grows taller than most other varieties and loves full sun to mild shade.

18. Bayou Blue

The Blue Bayou flowers are made up of violet-blue double-tepals typically tinged with white and grow quite close together.

This hybrid variety is intensely fragrant and is a very new development.

19. Brunet, Lady

The dark orange Lady Brunet looks the most like a rose of all the freesias. But suddenly, there aren't any thorns!

Because the buds are so close together, this flower may have only one large bloom from afar.

Freesia Flowers Have a Special Meaning

If you're curious about the name's origins, this plant was named after German scientist Friedrich H.T. Freese.

Trust, companionship, purity, innocence, attentiveness, and sweetness are all symbols of freesia.

Your gesture can suggest that you have entire faith in that person or that your love for them is genuine, depending on who you offer them to.

These flowers are ideal gifts for friends and partners because of their meaning.

They're also great flowers to send as a gift to someone who's just had a kid because they represent purity and innocence.

Because of their scent, freesias are frequently used as decorations at baptism festivities and as wedding flowers.

This was the blossom of trust in Victorian times. People gave freesia flowers to each other all the time, regardless of their gender or their connection.

It was a method for them to demonstrate their friendship and loyalty to one another. Some of that symbolism can still be found in these blooms now.

Freesia Colors and Their Meaning

The general connotations of this plant have already been discussed. However, each color of freesia has its unique meaning, and let's look at the most crucial.

• White freesias are a popular option for weddings and new births because they signify innocence and purity.
• Yellow freesias symbolize friendship, making them ideal gifts for close friends.
• Purple freesias are the rarest of all the freesia varieties, representing monarchy and beauty.
• Red freesias symbolize love and passion more than any other color, making them an ideal choice for lovers who are also closest friends.

Gardeners are enamored with this flower and frequently inquire about it. In this section, we've compiled the most commonly asked questions. We hope you find the answers to be helpful.

Are You Prepared to Plant a Freesia?

Freesias are the flowers of friendship, as we've seen. Why don't you make friends with a few of them?

Freesias could become your new favorite flower, whether you put them in a pot or make space for them in your garden.

These flowers can be a gardener's delight because of their fantastic smell, beautiful hues, and effortless grace.

They're also not too difficult to cultivate, so there's no reason not to try growing your own. Get started right away!