How to grow freesia

Freesia

Freesia (Freesia) — corm plant from southern Africa with narrow, sword-shaped leaves and wiry stems 30–60 cm tall, each carrying a one-sided row of 5–10 strongly scented, funnel-shaped flowers in white, yellow, orange, pink, red, lavender or purple. A favourite long-lasting cut flower. Freesia grows best in full sun. Water it about every 7 days while it grows.

Updated: October 28, 2026

When to plant freesia?

Plant the bulbs straight into the bed after your last spring frost, once the soil has warmed.

In an unheated greenhouse everything moves about three weeks earlier.

It flowers about 56 days after growth starts and keeps flowering for about 60 days.

Frost dates · When to plant

Quick facts

Type	Flower
Latin name	Freesia
Family	Iridaceae
Planted as	bulbs
Life span	perennial
Planting season	spring
Light	Full sun
Frost	does not tolerate frost
Soil for planting	from 5 °C
Growth starts	21 days after planting
First flowers	56 days after growth starts
Flowering lasts	60 days
Grown in	Greenhouse, Open ground, At home

How long does freesia take from planting to flowering?

From planting to the first flowers: about 77 days, or 11 weeks.

Step	Day
Planting	0
Growth starts	21
First flowers	77
End of flowering	137

Days count from the day of sowing or planting, by the figures of the card.

Where does freesia grow?

13,653 records of the plant in gardens, fields and the wild worldwide; most photos come from South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and France.

World map: where freesia has been recorded — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: Simon Attwood, Aidan Tsoumbakos, Michael Keith, Frias Nebra Enrique, Alessio S., Hydrocycler (Elizabeth Dougherty), 岸本年郎, Osvaldo Néstor Fernández (CC BY / CC0).

Freesia, South Africa — Darker green means more records. Photos are real observations from those countries — tap one to see it. Map and records: GBIF.org (2026-10-28), © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap. Photo: Simon Attwood, Aidan Tsoumbakos, Michael Keith, Frias Nebra Enrique, Alessio S., Hydrocycler (Elizabeth Dougherty), 岸本年郎, Osvaldo Néstor Fernández (CC BY / CC0).

Freesia care by growth stage

Greenhouse

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 3 days	—	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 28 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 42 days into the stage
Flowering	every 3 days	—	potassium, at the start of the stage; potassium, 14 days into the stage; potassium, 28 days into the stage; potassium, 42 days into the stage; potassium, 56 days into the stage

Open ground

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 7 days	—	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 28 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 42 days into the stage
Flowering	every 7 days	—	potassium, at the start of the stage; potassium, 14 days into the stage; potassium, 28 days into the stage; potassium, 42 days into the stage; potassium, 56 days into the stage

At home

Stage	Watering	Temperature	Feeding
Growth	every 3 days	—	balanced (NPK), 14 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 28 days into the stage; balanced (NPK), 42 days into the stage
Flowering	every 3 days	—	potassium, at the start of the stage; potassium, 14 days into the stage; potassium, 28 days into the stage; potassium, 42 days into the stage; potassium, 56 days into the stage

Growing notes

Light

Full sun in a warm, sheltered spot, such as by a house wall; where summers are hot, morning sun and afternoon shade. It flowers best with cool nights.

Soil

Moist but well-drained, sandy or organic-rich soil with a neutral pH. In pots use potting compost with coarse sand or grit, in a deep pot for the long roots; wet soil rots the corms.

Care

In cold climates plant prepared corms outside in April, 5 cm deep and 5–8 cm apart, pointed end up, and push in twiggy sticks for support; they flower in July and August. Freesias survive only a few degrees of frost and grow best cool, at 10–15 °C; heat makes them spindly and the flowers fade fast. Water as needed while in growth. Feed every two weeks with a liquid fertiliser once the shoots are about 15 cm tall, and with a high-potassium feed once buds show. Cut faded stems at the base, keep watering and feeding until the leaves turn yellow, then stop. Lift the corms before frost and store them dry and warm. Increase them from offsets; seedlings take a few years to flower. In mild areas plant in August–September for spring flowers; pots planted in late summer flower indoors in winter. Watch for aphids, spider mites, slugs, grey mould, sclerotinia and fusarium wilt.

Pests and diseases of Freesia

4 problems are recorded for freesia; each has a page with symptoms, treatment and prevention.

Diseases

Pests

Two-spotted spider mite

Other plants of the Iridaceae family

Freesia belongs to Iridaceae; 4 other plants of this family have a guide here.

Plant lists it is in

Part of: Garden flowers · Perennial garden flowers · Summer bulbs and tubers

Sources

Figures checked against these sources.