Parts of a Bulb

Daffodils grow from bulbs.

A flower bulb is a modified, underground bud comprised of four additional parts, including a short, thick stem, flesh scale leaves and roots. Onions, tulips and daffodils all grow from bulbs.

Tunic

The tunic is the outermost papery sheath or covering of the bulb. It is usually dry and may flake away from the bulb surface.

Scales

Usually light in color, from white to pale green, scales are modified fleshy leaves that form the substance of the bulb. The scales provide the food for the initial growth of roots and the reaching of the first stems and leaves to the soil surface.

Basal Stem

At the bottom of the bulb is the basal stem, a compacted mass of tissue that unites and connects the core components of the bulb to the root system.

Roots

Eminating downward from the basal stem is the network of living roots, which absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

Flower Bud

In the upper core of the bulb, near the tapered or "pointy" top, is the flower bud. The bud is surrounded by scales and emerges, growing upward to the soil surface, revealing foliage as well as the flower. The flower bud must not be damaged or harmed in order for a plant to healthfully grow from the bulb.

References

• Anatomy of a Bulb
• "A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants"; Edited by Christopher Bricknell and H. Marc Cathey; 2004