Bulbs from seed

[Gerry Webster]

Looking through old copies of ‘The Garden’ I came across this table giving estimates of the minimum times required to produce flowering size bulbs from seed. The figures given for Anemone, Frits & Erythronium accord, more-or-less, with my own experience. However, I have never had Cyclamen from seed in 1 year nor Crocus in 2 years.

It would be interesting to see other Forumists’ comments.

[Paul T]

Not here in my conditions, that is for sure! 

[David Pilling]

Probably depends on the conditions and the species.

I've grown cyclamen coum and hederifolium from seed to flower in about 12 months (probably counts as two seasons). Anemone coronaria is possible from seed to flower in six months. Some lilies e.g. formosanum can flower in around 12 months. Fritillaria meleagris seemed to take about three seasons.

Freesia hybrids will flower in one season as will some alstroemeria.

Having grown something once, one sees the mistakes and does better, but the above times were beginers luck.

[Diane Clement]

Looking through old copies of ‘The Garden’ I came across this table giving estimates of the minimum times required to produce flowering size bulbs from seed. The figures given for Anemone, Frits & Erythronium accord, more-or-less, with my own experience. However, I have never had Cyclamen from seed in 1 year nor Crocus in 2 years.
It would be interesting to see other Forumists’ comments.   

I've had Cyclamen coum flower in 11 months from sowing and Narcissus in 22 months from sowing.  I have had Alstroemeria (species, not cvs) flower in less than a year from sowing.  Anomatheca will also flower in their first year

The table does say minimum, not average   

[Lesley Cox]

I have never had Cyclamen from seed in 1 year nor Crocus in 2 years.

It would be interesting to see other Forumists’ comments.

Me neither.

[Maggi Young]

Reviving this topic to say that there is a seed list for bulbs in this new thread.....
http://www.srgc.org.uk/forum/index.php?topic=8110.0 

[Janis Ruksans]

Gladiolus (garden cultivars - hybrids and Lilium hybrids (Asiatic) can form first flower in the year of sawing, if seeds are sawn early and grown under cover to prolongate season.
Crocuses I got in second year by myself but rarely, normally 3rd year. Corydalis start blooming from 2nd year. But Fritillaria eduardii only from 8-10th year after sawing.
Iris - very rarely occasional seedling bloomed in 3rd year, normally 4th-5th year, depending from species.
Janis

[PeterT]

Pogon Iris can flower in under 18 months from germination, I have had crocus flower in their second year too. (I dont remember which -but possiably laevigatus)

[PeterT]

I'm sure some Corydalis such as malkensis  and almost certainly lutea and cheilanthifolia may flower in one year, but popovii took three for me

[Tony Willis]

I would expect some cyclamen to flower in two years but normally for crocus it is three or four. I have noticed however that I have two pots of Crocus pelistericus sown May 2010 and they are showing flowering size shoots for March next year-just two years