Summer-Flowering Bulbs for Spectacular Color

Acidanthera bicolor (Gladiolus callianthus): Pure white 3″ star-shaped flowers with mahogany-blushed throats, sweet fragrance. 4–6 blooms per 2–3 ft stem over a month. Lift corms in cold climates.

Calla (Zantedeschia): Colored callas 1½–2 ft tall in exotic hues ('Mango', 'Garnet Glow', 'Flame'). White callas (Z. aethiopica)—large trumpet flowers, nearly evergreen in mild zones (5–6, 8–9, 14–24), deciduous in cold.

Crocosmia (Montbretia): 'Lucifer'—bold 4 ft fans with zigzag spikes. Newer hybrids smaller (e.g., 2 ft 'Emily MacKenzie'). Fiery reds, oranges, yellows; long-lasting cut flowers. Naturalize in zones 5–24; mulch where winter <10°F.

Dahlia: Tuberous roots; heights 1–7+ ft, flowers 2–12″, shapes from pompoms to cactus types, every color but blue. All but shortest make good cut flowers; small/medium most versatile. Light afternoon shade in hot areas. Leave in ground if winter >20°F; most lift annually.

Gladiolus: Floral industry mainstays—dramatic vertical accents. Grandiflora hybrids (garden glads): 4–5 ft, flowers to 8″. Butterfly glads: 2–3 ft, contrasting throat blotches. Baby glads: 1½ ft; hardy in zones 4–9, 12–24. Most others lift and store. (In sandy soil, plant tall glads deeper.)

Liatris (Gayfeather): Tough tuberous perennial sold as bulb. Foxtail spikes of rosy purple or white from grassy clumps. 2–4 ft; good bouquet fillers; attract butterflies. Zones 1–10, 14–24.

Lily: Asiatic hybrids bloom earliest; Oriental later. Both superb cut flowers. Large trumpet blooms on strong 5 ft stems. Wide colors, often with contrasting throats, speckles, brushstrokes. Need ample moisture; filtered sun/afternoon shade; cool root zones. Hardy to –30°F.

Tuberose (Polianthes tuberosa): Intensely fragrant waxy white blossoms on 3 ft stems above grassy foliage. Single and double forms; long-lasting. Need 4+ months warmth before bloom; start indoors in short-season areas. Worth the effort for scent alone. Zones 15–17, 22–24 (zones 8–9, 14: pot and protect in winter).