The Superpowers of Spring Bulbs

By Barb Murphy

By about January, I am looking forward to April and the promise of warm days and flowers! Despite living in New England for a long time with high hopes for early greenery, I am reminded every year how dreary the early spring landscape can be. Honestly, the combination of the gray of mud season and the brown of the landscape has inspired me to name this season, "the peak of bleak." The only cure for my malaise is the appearance in my yard of one of the earliest spring bulbs, Glory of the Snow. 

Early spring bulbs are an underutilized superpower in your garden. These inexpensive bulbs are planted in the spring,  require no maintenance, and are readily available at online nurseries. They are hardy and resilient, tolerating cold temperatures and dry conditions, and disappear a few weeks later providing space for summer flowers to bloom. Many are great naturalizers, meaning they spread gradually, providing a carpet of color underneath later spring flowers like daffodils and tulips.

In addition to adding early color to the landscape, spring bulbs fill an important ecological role. Our native bees evolved to feed on early spring woodland flowers like trillium and trout lily. However, much of the land that once supported these plants has been converted to other uses, leaving fewer native food sources available for early bees. Spring bulbs in our gardens can help fill this gap by providing vital sources of pollen and nectar during a period when little else is flowering. This is especially true for queen bumblebees, one of the first bees to come out of winter dormancy.

The following are three magnificent spring bulbs to consider adding to your "need to plant" list for this fall:

Glory of the Snow

Glory of the Snow - Chionodoxa forbesii 

Pronounced: ki-e-no-doxa

Each Glory of the Snow bulb produces a clump of blue, upright, star-like flowers with white centers. Chionodoxa are native to Crete, Cyprus, and Turkey and belong to the Asparagaceae family that includes the edible asparagus, hosta, and lily of the valley. They are closely related to another spring bulb, Scilla. They grow best in full-sun in well-drained soils and are one of the first flowers to appear in spring, often poking their flowering stalks through melting snow, thus earning the common name, Glory of the Snow. Chionodoxa can naturalize readily over time but is easily managed. 

Bird-In-A-Bush

Fumewort or Bird-In-A-Bush - Corydalis 

Pronounced: kr-i-duh-luhs

The Corydalis genus is a treasure trove of cheerful tubular flowers ranging in colors from blue and yellow to white and pink. Native to China and parts of Asia, Corydalis are members of the poppy family, as is evident in their leaf form, and are closely related to bleeding hearts. There are many species of Corydalis, but the ones we have had success with in the Habitat For All garden are Corydalis solida.

Corydalis are easy-to-grow fall-planted bulbs that perform well on any well-drained soil. Being spring ephemerals, they tolerate part-shade and die back and disappear in summer. The plants spread slowly, forming clumps of pink, white, mauve, and yellow flowers throughout the garden.  They flower for 2-3 weeks starting in mid-April here in western Maine. In the Habitat For All garden we have had a glorious display of  Corydalis solida 'Beth Evans' and Corydalis solida 'Purple Bird'.

Siberian Squill

Siberian Squill - Scilla siberica

Siberian squill is one of the most popular types of Scilla. Like the other spring bulbs, they are easy to plant and are not attractive to deer or rodents. Scilla are closely related to Chionodoxa and are easily confused. One quick identifiable feature is Glory of the Snow flowers face up and Scilla flowers face down.

For best results, plant these bulbs in full-sun or part shade on well-drained soil. They will not flower in full shade. Each bulb will send up multiple stems topped with cobalt blue dainty flowers that some say resemble parasols. At only 4", these bulbs are great planted beneath trees and other, larger spring bulbs like daffodils. They disappear before grass mowing season and therefore should be allowed to spread into the lawn.

We all could use a shot of color and beauty in early spring. These diminutive flowers are sure to bring a smile to your face and queen bumblebees to your landscape.

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