Tubers, Corms, & Rhizomes

Tuber

Tubers, corms, and rhizomes are kind of like bulbs. (Look back to these blog posts HERE and HERE to learn more about bulbs). They are the life source and nutrient storage for plants, each with different characteristics. They also provide ways to mulitply the plant into new plants.

The best way to describe a tuber is to think of a potato. In fact, potatoes are tubers! They are thick fleshy underground stems that store the nutrients for the plants. Tubers have eyes and buds that can sprout into new plants which is great for gardeners wanting to expand their gardens with little to no expense.

Some examples of flowers that grow from tubers are dahlias, mandevilla, canna lillies, and begonias. A great source for any dahlia information is Floret Flower. Erin has such a great website with so much educational information on it. Mandevilla is one of my favorite summer flowers that vines upward. Begonias are beautiful flowers that do really well in pots.

Corms

Corms are similar to bulbs in that they store energy and nutrients and even can look similar, but are different in a few ways. Different from bulbs, corms are usually short squatty stems that are solid inside. They have a basal plate that they sit on where the roots develop from when planted. Each time a corm produces a flower, it is depeleted and a new corm will grow on top of the old one.

Some common flowers that grow from corms are ranuculus, gladiolas, crocus, and fresia. Ranuculus and gladiolas are often used as cut flowers for arrangements and bouquets. Many flower farmers grow and sell ranuculus corms online. When I first started gardening, I found some gladiola corms at the dollar store and they ended up growing into huge beautiful flowers.

Rhizomes

A rhizomes is a plant stem that develops from buds and grows horizontally. The rhizome stores nutrients for the plant just like tubers, corms, and bulbs. Rhizomes are great at reproduction because they spread underground and when seperated, each piece will grow into a new plant. Sometimes rhizomes can be hard to get rid of for this purpose. (I’m looking at you bermuda grass).

Some of my favorite flowers that grow from rhizomes are the iris, peonies, and canna lillies. Iris’s have been passed down for generations due to their ability to multiply and how easy they are to grow. I have some that my mom gave me from her garden last year and I can’t wait to see them come up in the spring. Peonies are my most favorite flower. They are fluffy and full and I look forward to them every spring. Each year they get better and better.

So many of my favorite flowers come from tubers, corms, and rhizomes. If you’ve ever thought of starting a flower cutting garden, you’ll get very familiar with them. Once you understand what they are and how they work, you can do so much in your garden.