Plant These 13 Flowering Bulbs Now For Holiday Displays

While fall is prime for planting spring and summer-flowering bulbs in the garden bed and outdoor pots, it’s also ideal for readying holiday displays and gifts (just around the corner). A simple, well-arranged bulb planting brings weeks of color and makes a stunning natural gift and holiday accent. Setting the bulbs in place in November can ensure flowering around the holidays.

Many selections bloom indoors any time of year through forcing. While it sounds intense, forcing just provides warm, spring-like temperatures after bulbs experience an allotted chill time (necessary for many of our favorites to bloom). You can force amaryllis, hyacinths, daffodils, tulips, crocus, and snowdrops into early flowering after adequate cold exposure.

Bulb Forcing

Forced bulbs root in a variety of interesting vessels, from a shallow dish of pebbles and water to a bulb vase to small pots or mossy terrariums. The base of the bulb needs contact with water or moist soil to root. More water coverage leads to rot. Adding gravel can help situate the bulb. Use moss to soften and conceal the media.

Make sure bulbs are pre-chilled if they require vernalization, either from the grower or from time in the refrigerator or weeks at outdoor temperatures between 35-45°F (2-7°C). Pre-cooled bulbs are advantageous for those like tulips, who benefit from 10 or more weeks in cold temperatures. You still have time to source bulbs, whether ordering or from your local nursery.

Arrange bulbs in your container of choice and place them in a cool space with indirect light for about two weeks. Once new growth appears, move them to a warmer, brighter spot to initiate budding. To prolong the interior display, keep the blooms out of direct sunlight and away drafts from heater vents and fireplaces. Keeping them cool at night helps flowers last longer.

Now that we’ve covered the art and science of “forcing” blooms, here are the 23 best bulbs to plant now for holiday flowers.

Amaryllis ‘Red Lion’

	botanical name Hippeastrum ‘Red Lion’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 8-11

Amaryllis ‘Red Lion’ is a large-flowering variety in rich crimson on tall stalks. It brings weeks of color with multiple blooms per stem. The bigger the bulb, typically the longer the flowering. ‘Red Lion’ is a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit recipient.

For a swirling display with high contrast, blend ‘Red Lion’ with ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Candy Cane,’ in bright red and white. Look to  ‘Royal Velvet’ for one of the deepest red-burgundy selections (and another Award of Garden Merit winner). ‘Picotee’ features bright white petals with the thinnest brush of red edging.

Plant amaryllis bulbs a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving to ensure flowers around the winter holidays. They take about six to eight weeks to mature, and those available for purchase in November are cooled and ready to go. Plant them ⅓ of the bulb exposed above the soil line and use a container one inch larger than the bulb – amaryllis likes to be a little crowded in the pot. Make sure the pot and soil mix have good drainage. Like the other bulbs on our list, they also root in water.

Amaryllis bloom once annually, and while we associate them with the holidays, their natural bloom time is in late spring to early summer. Grow them as a houseplant year-round or move them to the landscape in warm climates.

Daffodil ‘Replete’

	botanical name Narcissus ‘Replete’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 12-18”
	hardiness zones 3-8

‘Replete’ brings fully double blooms with creamy white petals and warm peachy-pink centers. Like crape paper, the folded blooms are soft yet striking in their uniqueness. These are stunning as a singular species display with a grouping of the bulbs for impact.

Narcissus are carefree and perennialize in the right conditions, producing new bulbs for years. When moving forced bulbs to the garden bed, they may take a year or more to gain vigor for potential reblooming.

Snowdrops ‘Viridi-apice’

	botanical name Galanthus nivalis ‘Viridi-apice’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-10”
	hardiness zones 3-7

Snowdrops bring elegant, white, bell-shaped blooms and a light, fresh perfume. In nature, these are some of the earliest bulbs to pop up, even through snowy ground. Indoors, they add subtle beauty with a peaceful form and stylized details to appreciate up close.

‘Viridi-apice’ has unique green tips to its white inner petals and green blotches on its outer petals. It has a more robust habit than the straight species. G. nivalis ‘Flore Pleno’ has a unique double flower. The white outer petals hold a ruffled interior with a painterly swirl of green streaks. This attractive variety is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner.

Snowdrops are artful as they spring up through a mossy green foundation. They flower about one month after planting (post-chill).

Tulip ‘Parade’

	botanical name Tulipa ‘Parade’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 1-2’
	hardiness zones 3-8

‘Parade’ is a Darwin hybrid tulip in bright red. Their true tulip form is simple and elegant, with classically cupped blooms in rich shades and vivid colors. 

The flowers are large and stately on tall stems. Because their vigor is best the first year, many gardeners grow tulips as annuals, making them excellent for forcing.

Darwin hybrids are reliable bloomers. Tulips bloom in two to three weeks after planting (post-chill period).

Hyacinth ‘Carnegie’

	botanical name Hyacinthus orientalis ‘Carnegie’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 8-12″
	hardiness zones 4-8

Hyacinth, with its floriferous bloom spikes and intensely sweet perfume, brings sparkle to the holiday arrangement. We usually gift these in springtime, sometimes on Mother’s Day or near Easter, but rich selections in creamy white, blues, and rose make festive winter adornments.

‘Carnegie’ has large, densely-packed spikes of snowy white florets – among the whitest in the bunch. Look to ‘Blue Jacket’ for dense, royal purple-blue flowers on one-foot stalks.

Pair them with daffodils and tulips, or feature them as a singular species, always appropriate in forced displays. A single hyacinth bloom fills the room with sweetness.

Paperwhite ‘Inbal’

	botanical name Narcissus tazetta ‘Inbal’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12-24”
	hardiness zones 8-11

Paperwhites bring a bouquet of cheer, especially those with a light, pleasing, sweet fragrance in cultivars like ‘Inbal,’ ‘Ariel,’ and ‘Nir’ (other varieties smell acrid, depending on the beholder).

‘Inbal’ is crisp white with flattened cups and a small, bright yellow center. This quick-flowering variety only takes two to three weeks to bloom. It prefers an in-soil planting rather than rooting in water.

Paperwhites are small bulbs that make the most significant holiday impact when planted in large numbers. Place them shoulder to shoulder—they handle crowding well. Most develop quickly with a three to five-week bloom window from planting.

Grape Hyacinth

	botanical name Muscari armeniacum
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-9”
	hardiness zones 4-8

Grape hyacinth is a dwarf bulb that stands out for its compact stems of small bell flowers in cobalt, sky, and violet blue. Deep green, bladed leaves emerge before the blooms.

Muscari armeniacum has Award of Garden Merit status for its strong performance and showy flowers. In addition to the perennial border or potted composition, they also make excellent cut flowers.

‘Album’ is a fragrant white-flowered variety to bring textural interest among other bloomers. ‘Saffier’ has long-lasting, deep blue bells.

Tulip ‘Mount Tacoma’

	botanical name Tulipa ‘Mount Tacoma’
	sun requirements Full sun
	height 20-22”
	hardiness zones 3-7

‘Mount Tacoma’ is a 1924 heirloom with decadent petaling. The full, double blooms hold multiple folds of creamy white petals.

The overall look is elegant and crisp. ‘Mount Tacoma’ has a long bloom time for weeks of abundant white. On long stems, they make gorgeous cut flowers. These make beautiful stand-alone features or bouquet centerpieces accented by handsome foliage.

Daffodil ‘Tete-a-Tete’

	botanical name Narcissus ‘Tete-a-Tete’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 6-8”
	hardiness zones 3-9

‘Tete-a-tete’ is a petite daffodil with buttery yellow cups and multiple blooms per stem. It sets numerous buds and, as a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit winner, is a sturdy, floriferous dwarf variety.

These little daffodils in a collection give an infusion of sunshine, offering high color and style with their crisp petals and ruffled cups on slender stems.

‘Yellow Sailboat’ is another sweet selection to force. It grows 10 to 12 inches tall with reflexed petals that “sail” in the display.

Crocus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’

	botanical name Crocus vernus ‘Jeanne d’Arc’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-6”
	hardiness zones 3-8

Crocus are fine-bladed tufts with cupped blooms that pop up like sweet surprises. ‘Jeanne d’Arc’ is a pretty white-flowered selection with a purple base and bright, orangey-yellow stamens. Each plant holds several upright, cupped blooms.

‘Flower Record’ has large, royal purple blooms and a contrasting orange, ruffled center. These may bring rich elegance, as do ‘Remembrance,’ a sweet gesture with a vibrant twist to the holiday look. ‘Blue Pearl’ is lovely in light sky blue lavender shades with a gold base.

Crocus is quick to flower indoors after planting, at two or so weeks.

Amaryllis ‘Apple Blossom’

	botanical name Hippeastrum ‘Apple Blossom’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 12-26”
	hardiness zones 8-11

‘Apple Blossom’ graces with blush pink and white petals on characteristic amaryllis trumpet blooms. The painterly, soft-hued flowers are decadent and reach eight inches across. 

The rich pinks soften bold reds and brighten white varieties. ‘Pink Nymph’ has ranging shades of pink from dark to light on a single blossom, while ‘Fantasy’  has white petals brushed with red and pink streaks. 

Dwarf Iris ‘Harmony’

	botanical name Iris reticulata ‘Harmony’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-9”
	hardiness zones 5-9

Iris reticulata, native to Iran and Turkey, is a dwarf species with miniature iris flowers on short stalks. ‘Harmony,’ in royal blue, has well-shaped, upright petals that flutter on slender stems. 

Yellow-gold crests line the interior of the falls (lower petals) in a rich contrast. Leaves are gray-green and grassy. For a deep contrast, look for ‘Blue Note.’ It has deep purple-blue petals with near-black tips.

When growing the small bulbs for holiday color, look for the white shoot to pop up as the first sign of growth for moving to a warmer location.

Anemone ‘Blue Shades’

	botanical name Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades’
	sun requirements Full sun to partial shade
	height 3-8”
	hardiness zones 5-8

Also called windflower, these create a carpet of lilac-blue blooms. The clump-forming spreader grows via rhizomes to form a ground cover of deep, ferny foliage.

‘Blue Shades’ has rich blue, daisy-ray flowers with contrasting yellow centers. ‘White Splendour’ in brilliant white has rosy pink backs to highlight the blossoms among fine-textured foliage. Both are Award of Garden Merit recipients.