Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube
    GardenBeast
    • All Articles
    • Sections
      • Features
      • Food
      • Plants
      • Flowers
      • Shrubs
      • Trees
      • Palms
      • Succulents
      • Cacti
      • Backyard
      • Reviews
      • Entertainment
      • Questions
      • Homesteading
    • Free eBooks
    • About
    • Contact
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube
    GardenBeast
    Flowers

    Freesia Guide: How to Grow & Care for These Attractive Flowers

    Read our guide to Freesias for everything you’ll ever need to know! Tips for planting & caring for These Attractive Flowers
    Miruna SecuianuBy Miruna SecuianuMarch 17, 2022
    Freesia
    Freesia
    Affiliate Disclosure: We independently test & research all products reviewed on the site. We may earn a small commission if you buy through one of our links. This does not affect our reviews or placement of products on the site.

    Freesia is a genus that contains about 20 species of colourful and fragrant flowering plants. Commonly known as “Freesias”, the flowers from this genus are native to regions of southern Africa, especially Cape Provinces.

    Nowadays, Freesias are one of the most popular ornamental plants worldwide. Prized for their overall elegant nature, these beauties will look absolutely fabulous in garden landscapes, cute pots, or as cut flowers in superb vases. They are also very low-maintenance, making them great choices for any type of gardener.

    When you want to show your close friends or family members how much you care about them, Freesias are the ideal meaningful gifts! For example, red Freesia is a symbol for passion; yellow for friendship, joy, and renewal; pink for motherly love; and white for purity and innocence. While each colour of their flowers has a particular meaning, a multicoloured bouquet symbolizes friendship and thoughtfulness.

    Table of Contents

    • About Freesias
    • Freesia Features: An Overview
    • Growing Freesias
    • Planting Freesias
    • Watering Freesias
    • Propagating Freesias
    • In Conclusion

    About Freesias

    • They belong to the spectacular Iridaceae family, sharing it with many other well-known species including Bugle-lilies, Crocuses, Gladioli, Irises, and Montbretias.
    • Freesia flowers come with different varieties to choose from. The ‘Belleville’, ‘Golden Passion’, ‘Oberon’, and ‘Royal Blue’ cultivars enjoy the greatest fame.
    • Although all Freesias are equally charming, only the Freesia laxa species (Flowering grass) has gained the prestigious Award of Garden Merit. This cultivar is truly unique due to its distinctive flat and star-shaped flowers.
    • Due to their thin stems, these plants cannot always support the weight of their blossoms. You can help your Freesias to stay upright by providing them with some external support, such as a plastic, metal, wooden, or bamboo stake.
    • Their flowers have a specific, pleasing, and sweet fragrance. They play a big part in the production of candles, hand creams, body lotions, shampoos, and perfumes.
    • Freesia plants make for excellent cut flowers alone or in bouquets. Since many people use them in aromatherapy, a bouquet of Freesias in your surroundings can reduce your stress levels and positively impact your mood.
    • These plants have no toxic effects on animals or humans if ingested or touched. Because of this, you can grow Freesias anywhere you want, even near your furry buddies or curious children.
    • The most suitable companion plants for our colourful Freesia flowers are Agave, Alyssum, Clivia, Cosmos, Dahlia, Gladiolus, Iris, Larkspur, Lily of The Valley, Narcissus, Poppy Anemone, Rose, and Tulip.
    Freesia
    Freesia

    Freesia Features: An Overview

    • Freesias are herbaceous perennial plants that can reach up to 1 or 2 feet (30-60 cm) in height at maturity. As potted plants, they grow only about 6 to 12 inches (15-31 cm).
    • These plants spread from a conical underground stem called corm that has between 0.5 and 1 inch (1-2.5 cm) in diameter. The corm serves as a storage organ to survive prolonged drought and heat.
    • Their foliage consists of narrow, grass-like, and evergreen leaves with sparsely branched stems of 4 to 16 inches (4-10 cm) long. The leaves usually measure from 4 to 12 inches (10-30) in length.
    • Freesia plants bloom from early spring through late summer. Numerous species come along with fragrant, slender, funnel-shaped flowers. However, some species like Freesia laxa have flat blossoms.
    • In general, their single or double flowers emerge on a long, loose, one-sided tiny stem called a stalk. They show up with a vast colour palette, exhibiting various tints of yellow, white, red, orange, purple, pink, or blue.

    Growing Freesias

    Freesia flowers are easy-going companions that will grow at their best in environments that mimic their natural habitat. If you live in a region that doesn’t provide these conditions naturally, no worries! You can always keep these plants indoors in pots and simulate their growing demands without any future problems. And, trust us, it is much easier than you might expect!

    When it comes to lighting conditions, Freesias do well in full sunlight. For outdoor settings, make sure you grow these flowers in a spot where they can receive lots of bright and direct light. Indoors, place them in the brightest area around your house, such as a south or north-facing window. Freesias are pretty adaptable, so they will also tolerate some daily morning shade.

    Freesia plants are typically cold-hardy in USDA zones 9 and 10 where you can grow them successfully as perennials. Outside their hardiness zones, most gardeners plant them in early spring and treat them as annuals for best results. These flowers bloom profusely when they experience daytime temperatures of 60 to 70 °F (16-21 °C) and 50 to 55 °F (10-13 °C) at night.

    Freesias are among the most trouble-free plants in terms of pest infestations and fungal diseases. Yet, sometimes, these plants will attract pests like slugs, snails, and aphids. In case you encounter a slug or snail infestation, you can simply handpick or remove them with a water spray. For aphids, you must apply insecticidal soap daily, then wipe away the dead intruders with a clean piece of cloth.

    Planting Freesias

    The planting time for Freesia plants will vary depending on whether you want to grow them in an outdoor or indoor setting. For outdoor-growing specimens, you can choose any day between April and June. If you want to grow these flowers indoors in pots, plant the corms in fall to bloom in late winter or early spring. After planting the bulbs, they should start blooming in about 12 weeks.

    Bestseller No. 1
    Freesia double flowering mix - 20 flower bulbs
    Freesia double flowering mix - 20 flower bulbs
    $15.99
    View on Amazon
    Bestseller No. 2
    Freesia 'Double Blue' (15 Pack) Plant Bulbs for Gardening - Fragrant Violet-Blue Freesia, Professional Growers from Easy to Grow
    Freesia 'Double Blue' (15 Pack) Plant Bulbs for Gardening - Fragrant Violet-Blue Freesia, Professional Growers from Easy to Grow
    • Excellent in Containers!
    • Priced for a pkg. of 15 robust bulbs
    • Varied shades of violet blue, fragrant blooms in spring
    • Authentic product from EasytoGrow, an American company
    View on Amazon
    Bestseller No. 3
    Outsidepride Freesia Garden Cut Flower Seed Mix for Vases, Bouquets - 50 Seeds
    Outsidepride Freesia Garden Cut Flower Seed Mix for Vases, Bouquets - 50 Seeds
    • A mix of lovely flowers in colors of blue, pink, white, and yellow can be grown from Freesia seeds. These blooming beauties capture your heart and are a springtime favorite. Freesia flowers are very fragrant, easy to grow and look great in pots and in garden beds where you want masses of color.
    • Freesia is a 16 inch tall perennial growing in USDA zones 9 - 10 or as an annual in colder climates.
    • Royal mix has large, delicate flowers often used alone in floral arrangements, or as contrasting blooms in a bouquet of other flowers, such as roses. For color, fragrance and elegant form, this Freesia mix is unbeatable. Excellent for pots or for sprinkling throughout an established bed. Grow Freesia flowers for cutting.
    • They have strong stems and a long vase life for lots of enjoyment indoors as well as outdoors. It is recommended to soak the Freesia seeds in warm water for 24 hours prior to sowing. Start the flower seed indoors 8 weeks before the expected end of spring. Pre-moisten starter mix and fill pots with the soil.
    • Place 2 - 3 flower seeds in each pot and press the seed into the soil, lightly covering. Continue to water throughout the germination process and place the pots in a well-ventilated area with a good light source.
    $6.49
    View on Amazon

    Last update on 2023-07-31 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

     

    Freesia flowers perform best in pots as individual specimens, but this does not mean that you cannot grow more in a larger container. We recommend you plant their bulbs a few inches apart to provide good air circulation and avoid future problems. This minimum space is also efficient if you are growing more Freesias outdoors in the garden.

    In general, Freesias are pretty versatile regarding their growing medium. Although they are susceptible to root rot, you can avoid this issue by planting them in well-draining soil. In case your soil does not come with proper drainage, you can amend it with compost or peat moss to improve its quality. Your indoor Freesias will usually do just fine in any regular potting mix and a pot that has drainage holes at the bottom.

    Frequent fertilizing is not mandatory for Freesia flowers to grow healthy and happy. However, they will need a little attention during their active growing period. Once the corms start to send out some seedlings, feed your plants with a balanced flower fertilizer. After this one-time thing, you can stop feeding, then apply fertilizer again when bud flowers appear.

    Once their blooming period has come to an end, Freesias typically go dormant and begin to look somewhat sloppy. This is absolutely normal, so you will not have to discard them. Still, you might need to trim their foliage off when it turns yellow.

    Watering Freesias

    Freesias are not as picky as other flowering plants when it comes to their watering routine. These plants prefer constantly damp soil, but will not appreciate soggy conditions or having their feet wet. This particular demand should not scare you at all because we have the best solution to avoid over-watering!

    Freesia flowers usually thrive with regular watering only once every week during their growing and blooming seasons. Yet, the frequency of watering might be different depending on the region you live in and growing conditions. Due to this, you should first check the soil before giving your plants another drink. When the substrate has dried out almost entirely, this is the perfect time to spoil your Freesias with water.

    Freesias will have the time of their life in locations with 40-50% humidity. In hot and dry climates, it is wise to keep these plants in a humid room or to spray them with water from time to time.

    Freesia
    Freesia

    Propagating Freesias

    Do you want to surprise your beloved ones with a lovely gift or simply enrich your collection with more of these plants? Well, what activity could be more exciting and rewarding for a gardener than propagation? Especially when you can propagate your Freesia flowers through the fastest and easiest way – division.

    This propagation method, however, is not the usual division you are familiar with. It is even better! Once you have dug your Freesia bulbs out, you do not need to divide them into many sections. Why is that? Well, one of the coolest things about Freesias is that their main corm usually forms small bulbs as offsets.

    Basically, all you have to do is remove these adorable offsets very gently and transplant them in their permanent growing location. After the planting process, you can care for your Freesia offsets as you would for the mother plant. Keep in mind, though, that these offsets will not bloom in the next one or two seasons.

    In Conclusion

    Freesias are some of the most attractive and easy-to-grow ornamental plants out there! If you do not already have a few of these stunning plants In your garden, you should treat yourself with one by any means. Just think about their colourful and sweet-scented flowers for a second. There is no way you can possibly resist the magnetic aura of Freesias!

    Are you already growing Freesias? Share your experience in the comments below!

    24
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Previous ArticleBacopa Monnieri Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Water Hyssop”
    Next Article Zantedeschia Aethiopica Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Calla Lily”
    Miruna
    Miruna Secuianu
    • Website

    Miruna is an experienced content writer with a passion for gardening. She is the proud owner of an outdoor rose garden and an indoor collection of tiny succulents. She bought her first succulent 10 years ago - an adorable Echeveria Setosa. Now she owns more than 100 succulents and cacti of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Miruna is a versatile writer and, as you might have guessed, her favorite topic is gardening. Contact miruna@gardenbeast.com

    Related

    Catharanthus Roseus Guide: How to Grow & Care for “Madagascar Periwinkle”

    August 10, 2023

    Hydrangeas Guide: How to Grow & Care for Them

    August 10, 2023

    Columbine Guide: How to Plant & Care for “Columbine Flowers”

    August 10, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    Welcome

    GardenBeast is an online publication which launched in 2019 with the aim of providing the latest news, in-depth how-to guides and reviews of popular products to help you make the most from your back yards and gardens.

    Kooc Media Ltd
    Company No.05695741
    International House,
    61 Mosley Street, Manchester,
    M2 3HZ
    UK

    Email
    hello@gardenbeast.com

    Hours
    Monday—Friday: 9:00AM–5:00PM
    Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM–3:00PM

    Download Free eBooks

    Download Free eBooks

    GardenBeast
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube
    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    As Seen in GardenBeast is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
    GardenBeast™ Copyright © 2019 - 2023 Kooc Media Ltd. All rights reserved. Registered Company No.05695741 // Online Resource for Gardening

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.