Chapters

Caring for Polianthes tuberosa

Polianthes - Growing Guide

Caring for Polianthes tuberosa

The only thing to match the scent of a pot of hyacinths indoors in winter is a pot of flowering polianthes in summer.

These are tender tuberous perennials which originate from woodland in Mexico. They have lance shaped light green leaves of up to 18in in length in small rosettes and flowering spikes of intensely fragrant white flowers of about 1-2in in length. In the garden the flower spikes can be up to 3ft tall but rather smaller when grown in pots in the greenhouse for the house.

We offer single and double flowered forms of this plant which are both equally scented.

They can be potted on and the tubers divided when dormant in winter. Pot into a loam based potting compost and grow in full light. Water and feed frequently with liquid feed during the growing season and keep dry when dormant.

Outside they make a welcome addition to summer borders but the tubers need to be dug up in autumn and stored in sand in a frost free place in the greenhouse or garage.

These are not difficult plants to grow and flower but they will not tolerate any frost. A small price to pay for scenting the whole house or greenhouse!