Favorite White Flowered Bulbs

In December 2004 the Pacific Bulb Society List topic of the week was favorite white flowered bulbs. Participants mentioned the bulbs listed below as favorites. They are listed alphabetically, sometimes with comments, followed by the name and the location of the person who named them as favorite, usually from experience growing them. If we have a picture of the plants mentioned on the wiki there is a link to that picture.

This page contains genera A -L. See Favorite white M-Z


Allium hyalinum -- Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California.

Allium hyalinum, Bob Rutemoeller

Amaryllis 'Mont Blanc' -- Doug Westfall, Southern California.


Anemone blanda 'White Splendor' -- This is the major harbinger of spring for here. I have planted sheets of this across a sloped area of the garden that meets the afternoon sun, Jim Waddick, Kansas City, Missouri.


Arisaema candidissimum -- It is the purer white forms and the green throat that gives so much quality to this plant. -- John Grimshaw , Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Arisaema candidissimum, Giorgio Pozzi

Calochortus has to get my vote as a genus and I am unable to limit it to one species when Calochortus albus, Calochortus tolmiei, and Calochortus umbellatus are in the running, Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California.

Calochortus albus, Mary Sue IttnerCalochortus tolmiei, Mary Sue IttnerCalochortus umbellatus, Mary Sue Ittner

Along with some of those exquisitely marked Mariposas: Calochortus superbus, Calochortus venustus, and Calochortus vestae, Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California. Calochortus venustus Dennis Kramb, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Calochortus superbus, Mary Sue IttnerCalochortus venustus, Mary Sue IttnerCalochortus vestae, Bob Rutemoeller

Wonderfully hairy Calochortus umpaquaensis -- Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California.

Calochortus umpquaensis, Bob Rutemoeller

Colchicum speciosum 'Album' -- It is the green throat that gives so much quality to this paragon of autumnal bulbs -- John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Colchicum speciosum, Mary Sue Ittner

Crinum moorei 'Album' -- John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Crinum moorei, David Fenwick

Crinum × powellii 'Album' -- John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Crinum × powellii, Jay Yourch

Crinum 'White Queen' -- flowered last year for me and was awesome, Kevin Preuss, Florida.

Crinum 'White Queen, Alani Davis

Crocus boryi -- a memorable spectacle was a swathe of the white flowers across the green grass of some old terraces, John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Crocus boryi, Jane McGary

Crocus goulimyi 'Mani White' -- I have found to be a very reliable garden plant, forming a clump and coming up with a good tuft of flowers each autumn. -- John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Crocus goulimyi 'Mani White', Mary Sue Ittner

Crocus sieberi 'Bowles White' -- is hard to beat, retaining its golden throat -- John Grimshaw , Nr Cheltenham, UK; Jim Waddick, Kansas City, Missouri.

Crocus sieberi 'Bowles White, Tony Goode

Cyclamen hederifolium forma. albiflorum -- John Grimshaw , Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Cyclamen hederifolium forma albiflorum clump of flowers September 2009, Giorgio Pozzi

Erythronium californicum -- the leaves are wonderful and the flowers intricately beautiful too, Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California.

Erythronium californicum, Mary Sue Ittner

Eucharis -- is a most intriguing winter bloomer. E. amazonica and E. formosa are in full bloom and wonderfully scented indoors or in the greenhouse. The petiolate foliage is an extra bonus. Kevin Preuss, Florida.

Eucharis x grandiflora, Sheila BurrowEucharis x grandiflora, Jay YourchEucharis amazonica, Nhu NguyenEucharis formosa, Nhu NguyenEucharis formosa, Nhu Nguyen

Eucharis 'Christine' -- Much more compact than the regular Amazon lily and it sends up spikes of deliciously fragrant white flowers almost like clockwork every three or four months. Corey Thompson, Chicago, Illinois.


Galanthus -- is the top of my list, Mark Smyth, northern Ireland; John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Gallanthus collage, Arnold Trachtenberg

Galtonia candicans -- John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK. This is now called Ornithogalum candicans.

Ornithogalum candicans, Uluwehi Knecht

Gladiolus callianthus (syn. Gladiolus murielae) -- John Grimshaw, Nr Cheltenham, UK.

Gladiolus murielae, Arnold Trachtenberg

Hesperocallis undulata -- (desert lily). I have seen it in Arizona's Death Valley along the road in April. The trumpet-shaped flower has a white interior with gray-backed petals. As beautiful as it is fragrant, Jerry Murray, Washington, the state.

Hesperocallis undulata, Jamie Boothe

Hippeastrum brasilianum, Hippeastrum parodii, Hippeastrum solandriflorum (syn. H. elegans), all are attractive -- Kevin Preuss, Florida.

Hippeastrum parodii, Doug WestfallHippeastrum solandriflorum, Den Wilson

Hymenocallis -- This one has moved up to my #1 slot, receiving more attention than most of my collection, Kevin Preuss, Florida. Regardless of taxonomic confusion, the white flowered taxa that blooms in all of the older neighborhoods on Galveston Island, Texas - Boyce Tankersley, Chicago, Illinois.

Hymenocallis eucharidifolia, Lee Poulsen

Tops on my list of favorite white-flowered bulbs is this genus. I can't wait till they send up their stalks of elegant, fragrant white flowers this coming spring or summer. The one that has bloomed for me so far, Hymenocallis 'Tropical Giant', has seduced me forever, Corey Thompson, Chicago, Illinois.

Closeup of Hymenocallis 'Tropical Giant', Jay Yourch

Iris (Dutch) -- Dennis Kramb, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Iris white hybrid, Mary Sue Ittner

Ismene -- enticing, but much more difficult for me here in Florida -- Kevin Preuss, Florida.

Ismene × festalis, Sheila Burrow

Lachenalia orthopetala -- Mary Sue Ittner, Northern California.

Lachenalia orthopetala, Mary Sue Ittner

Lilium -- It seems to me that there is little to beat a white lily, and my first choice would always be Lilium candidum, whose white has a warmth I don't find in the Asian species and the most glorious scent.

Lilium candidum, Janos Agoston

Then there is Lilium martagon var. album, so cool for the woodland garden, and if I didn't garden on limestone, Lilium speciosum 'Album'. John Grimshaw, Nr. Cheltenham, UK.

Lilium martagon v. album tall form, Darm Crook

Lilium washingtonianum -- growing in its native Sierra Nevada habitat. The white trumpets rise a couple of feet above low shrubs and the fragrance was divine. Nancy Gilbert, Grass Valley, California.

Lilium washintonianum, John Longanecker

Favorite Bulbs - Favorite white M-Z


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