I have bought Freesia bulbs sooooo many times, but although pitiful foliage grew a few times, I've never gotten a flower to sniff. After sniffing them once about 30 yrs ago, I'll never stop trying whenever I see the bulbs. Any suggestions of what to try next time I see some?

Have you tried growing them in an unheated room? This is just a guess by me, but freesias grow effortlessly here, so you want to duplicate a Los Angeles winter. Plant as early as you can in the fall. Mine start sprouting in the fall and bloom in, I'm thinking, March. It's a long time between sprouting and blooming, so you need a long mild period.

I think I've always seen/gotten them in the spring. Odd! TYVM for the info! 4/15, when I posted the question, I was reminded about my decades of consternation with these bulbs because there were some at a store. No, I didn't fall for it again, but did ask this question here when I got home. Sounds like it would have been another few $'s wasted, so glad I didn't bother.

John Scheepers sells bulbs online and from a catalog and they sell freesias in the fall catalog. They're in the section on bulbs for winter forcing. The catalog says, 'Anemone Giants, Freesias, and Ranunculus are best grown potted in greenhouses with 55F to 60F temperatures and bright sunlight.' Then it goes on to say that if they are grown too warm or with too little light they will produce more foliage than flowers.

TYVM! They would be perfect here, my house is about that temp for winter, depending on the temp outside. Do they go dormant for summer? Maybe I'm just not paying enough attention to the fall bulbs. From looking at hardiness info on several sites, sounds like I might get away with putting in ground too. Always tried in pots for ease of sniffing, but if there's no flowers, there's no ease or sniffing. Much appreciate your input!

Yes, they go dormant for the summer.

TYVM, Kelli!

I ordered these because of this topic and another topic about them on the Bulb forum.

I purchased the single yellow and double blue. I am going to try to plant them and try growing them in the cool sunroom. I will let you know how it works out.

Wish me luck.

They are spectacular ... IF you can grow them and get them to bloom. Which - depending on where you live - can be a royal pain. They do have a wonderful scent and are quite ornate in flower form.

When I owned my flower shop, we sometimes purchased these for high end arrangements as they were quite expensive. Outdoors they will not handle winter colder than Zone 9 so they are also often grown indoors at odd times.

I have grown them here (they are planted in later Spring), but the bulbs must be lifted or wintered over indoors. I have some in a container in my garage now. They ARE a challenge here to bring to bloom.

All I got was leaves. The pots are in the garage for the summer. I will bring them out this Fall and try again.

I tried ~ 50 bulbs. 2 pots and 2 ground areas. I have ~ 20 came up. The only thing I have worse luck with is Crocosmia. Too bad.

I saw a couple of combo pots at Lowes with Freesia and sniffed them and there was not one bit of fragrance. I looked at the tag thinking I had read the tag wrong. Nope I read it right, they had Heuchera, a small african dasiy and Freesia.

Hybridization ...

I am having a hard time with them this year. I planted some in the ground in 2 places and in 2 pots. They all suck. Maybe 30 bulbs planted and at best I have maybe a dozen or so....