Bulbs to Plant in Fall: 15 Best Choices for Spring Flowers

Fall is the perfect time to plant bulbs for a colorful spring garden. These bulbs to plant in fall include some of the most popular spring-flowering favorites, from cheerful tulips and daffodils to fragrant hyacinths and showy alliums. Plant them before the ground freezes, then let the bulbs spend the winter developing roots before they burst into bloom in spring.

Whether you’re filling a sunny garden bed, naturalizing bulbs in a lawn or woodland area, or simply looking for easy ways to add more spring color, there are plenty of choices. I’ve rounded up 15 of the best spring bulbs to plant in the fall, with growing information and tips to help you choose the right fall bulbs for your garden.

You’ll also find helpful tips for planting and caring for fall-planted bulbs, along with a printable spring bulbs list with names and pictures to take with you when you shop for bulbs this fall.

Some of the links below are affiliate links. I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you purchase through an affiliate link.

Types of bulbs to plant in fall for spring blooms

By the time fall has arrived, most flowers have stopped blooming, and perennials are ready to go dormant. However, this does not mean that gardening has to come to an end.

These spring-flowering bulbs and other plants go into the ground in fall so they have time to establish roots before producing flowers the following spring.

Snowdrops (Galanthus spp.)

Snowdrops are one of the first bulbs to bloom in late winter or very early spring, often appearing when snow is still on the ground. Their white flowers with distinctive emerald-green markings on their inner segments have a drooping growth habit that looks wonderful when planted in groups along woodland paths or beneath trees.

• Zones: 3 -8
• Sun: Partial shade to full sun
• Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: It has delicate white blooms that can naturalize and multiply over time.

🛒 Buy snowdrop bulbs for fall planting here.

Winter Aconite (Eranthis hyemalis)

If you are looking for early spring flowers to brighten your garden, winter aconite is a great choice. Its cheerful cup-shaped yellow blooms arrive very early in the year. They look wonderful planted in groups.

• Zones: 3-7
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
• Plant type: Tuberous perennial
• Why grow it: This is one of the earliest sources of garden color, with blooms that naturalize in suitable conditions.

🛒 Buy these early blooming tuberous perennials on Etsy.

Crocus (Crocus spp.)

Crocuses are cheerful little flowers that bring some of the first splashes of color to your garden. Plant them in groups, or tuck them into lawns, rock gardens, borders, or containers. Crocuses need up to 16 weeks of chilled ground before they will bloom.

• Zones: 3-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
• Plant type: Corm; perennial
• Why grow it: The flowers provide an important early food source for pollinators, and the corms will multiply over time.

🛒 Shop for crocus corms on Etsy to plant in fall.

Dwarf Iris (Iris reticulata)

This compact spring bloomer has striking flowers in shades of purple, blue, yellow, and white. Its small size makes it useful for rock gardens, borders, containers, and other spots where you want early-season color without taking up much space. This iris variety blooms before other types of irises do.

• Zones: 5-9
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: You’ll enjoy its showy flowers on a compact-sized plant.

🛒 Get dwarf iris bulbs here.

Glory-of-the-Snow (Chionodoxa spp.)

The flowers of glory-of-the-snow are star-shaped in shades of blue, pink, or white. If you plant the bulbs in groups, they can create a carpet of early color.

• Zones: 3-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Late winter to early spring
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: This easy-care bloomer naturalizes readily and is resistant to deer and rabbits.

🛒 Purchase glory-of-the-snow bulbs to plant in fall here.

Siberian squill (Scilla spp.)

Scilla, also called Siberian squill, produces clusters of star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, lavender, or white in early spring. These small bulbs are lovely tucked beneath trees, along woodland paths, around rocks, or in areas where you want spring color to spread naturally over time.

• Zones: 2-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Early to mid-spring
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: A beautiful choice for naturalizing, with clusters of vivid blue flowers that multiply and return year after year.

🛒 See all spring-blooming scilla bulbs here.

Daffodil (Narcissus spp.)

Daffodils are classic spring bulbs, with cheerful flowers in shades of yellow, white, orange, and combinations of these colors. With hundreds of varieties ranging from petite early bloomers to large showy flowers, there’s a daffodil for almost every spring garden.

• Zones: 3-9
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Early to late spring, depending on variety
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: Daffodils are long-lived, reliable bulbs that return year after year and are generally avoided by rabbits, moles, and squirrels.

🛒 You can buy daffodil bulbs for fall planting here.

Grape Hyacinth (Muscari spp.)

Grape hyacinths produce charming clusters of tiny, bell-shaped flowers that resemble bunches of grapes. Their compact size makes them useful for edging paths, tucking into rock gardens, filling gaps between larger bulbs, or growing in containers.

• Zones: 4-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Early to mid-spring
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: Compact plants with distinctive grape-like flower clusters that return reliably and are very low-maintenance.

🛒 Etsy has a nice range of grape hyacinth bulbs to plant in fall.

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus orientalis)

Hyacinths are prized for their dense spikes of fragrant flowers in spring. The blooms come in a wide range of colors, including blue, purple, pink, white, yellow, and red, making them a beautiful choice for cottage gardens, borders, and containers.

• Zones: 4-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Mid-spring
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: Highly fragrant flowers make hyacinths an excellent choice for planting near walkways, entrances, or other places where their sweet scent can be enjoyed.

🛒 Buy hyacinth perennial bulbs to plant in fall here.

Tulip (Tulipa spp.)

Tulips are among the most popular spring-flowering bulbs, with an incredible variety of colors, flower shapes, and sizes. From classic cup-shaped blooms to fringed, parrot, and lily-flowered varieties, tulips make it easy to create a spring display that fits your garden style.

If you have trouble growing tulips because of the heat where you live, check out my guide to growing tulips in warm climates.

• Zones: 3-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Early to late spring, depending on the variety
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: The huge range of colors, shapes, and bloom times makes tulips a very versatile choice for spring garden displays.

🛒 Purchase tulip bulbs here for fall planting.

Anemone (Anemone blanda)

Anemone, also called Grecian windflower, produces cheerful daisy-like flowers in shades of blue, pink, and white in spring. The low-growing plants are lovely in rock gardens, borders, and woodland settings, and they can spread naturally over time.

• Zones: 4-8
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Early to mid-spring
• Plant type: Tuberous perennial
• Why grow it: For bright flowers on low-growing plants to give you a long-lasting natural look in your garden beds.

🛒 Shop for spring-blooming anemones in different colors here.

Fritillaria (Fritillaria spp.)

Fritillarias are unusual spring-flowering bulbs known for their distinctive nodding, bell-shaped flowers. Depending on the species, blooms can range from delicate, checkered flowers to tall stems topped with clusters of bells, giving you something quite different from the typical spring bulb display.

• Zones: 3-9, depending on type
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Early to late spring, depending on variety
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: Their unusual bell-shaped flowers add an unexpected architectural touch to spring gardens and make a striking contrast to more familiar bulbs.

🛒 Get fritillaria bulbs here.

Allium (Allium spp.)

Alliums are striking spring-flowering bulbs grown for their tall stems topped with rounded clusters of tiny flowers. The blooms range from small spheres to impressive giant globes in shades of purple, pink, white, and yellow, adding strong vertical interest to the garden. They are especially inviting for butterflies and other pollinators.

• Zones: 3-9
• Sun: Full sun
• Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: Their large, globe-shaped flower heads are highly attractive to pollinators.

🛒 You can buy allium fall bulbs here.

Dutch Iris (Iris x hollandica)

Unlike other types of irises that grow from rhizomes, a Dutch iris grows from a tear-shaped bulb. Dutch iris produces elegant flowers in shades of blue, purple, yellow, white, and bronze on tall, slender stems. Its upright form makes it a beautiful choice for flower beds and borders, and the blooms are also excellent for cutting for vases indoors.

• Zones: 5-9
• Sun: Full sun
• Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: Tall, graceful flowers make Dutch iris a great choice for adding vertical interest to your garden.

🛒 See Dutch iris bulbs on Etsy.

Camassia (Camassia spp.)

Camassia produces tall spikes covered with star-shaped flowers in shades of blue, lavender, or white in late spring. The graceful plants add height to borders and naturalized areas and are particularly useful in spots that stay moist in spring.

• Zones: 4-9
• Sun: Full sun to partial shade
• Bloom time: Late spring to early summer
• Plant type: Bulb; perennial
• Why grow it: It’s a striking choice for moist garden areas and makes attractive cut flowers.

🛒 Check out camassia bulbs at Holland Farms.

Names of spring bulb list printable

You can print the spring bulbs list printable as high-resolution JPGs or PDFs by using the links below:

• Get the high-resolution spring bulbs list printable (JPG)↗
• Get the PDF spring bulbs list printable (PDF)↗

Printing instructions:

• Select portrait orientation and “fit to page” on your printer settings for a full-page printout.
• You can also print out the list of bulbs to plant in the fall from the project card at the bottom of this page. Scroll down to the card and press “print”.

When to plant fall bulbs

The timing for planting bulbs in fall depends on where you garden, but the general rule is to plant them after the summer heat has passed and before the ground freezes. Fall planting gives the bulbs time to develop roots before winter, preparing them for spring growth and flowering.

• For most gardeners in the USA, September through November is the main planting window, although the ideal timing varies by climate and bulb.
• In colder regions, bulbs may need to go into the ground earlier, while gardeners in warmer climates can often plant later in the fall.
• Plant when soil temperatures have cooled to around 55°F (13°C), and nighttime temperatures are consistently cooler.
• The chart below gives an idea of temperatures based on your hardiness zone.

What if you can’t plant the bulbs right away?

If you still have fall bulbs to plant and winter is approaching, don’t automatically give up on them. It’s generally better to plant healthy bulbs late than to leave them unplanted.

• As long as the ground is workable and hasn’t frozen solid, you can usually get them into the soil later.
• If you receive bulbs before the temperatures are right for planting, you can store the bulbs for a month or so in a cool and dry location.
• If you live in a warm climate zone (zone 8-11), you may need to pre-chill some bulbs for them to bloom.
• To do this, place the bulbs (in their bags) in the fridge for 8-10 weeks.

Tip: Be sure to keep any labels or bags that come with your purchase of bulbs. You might be able to tell tulip bulbs from daffodil bulbs, but will you know which of these tulips are purple and which are yellow? The labels and markers will have that info so be sure to save them.

Can I still plant bulbs in winter?

In many cases, yes. Many of the bulbs to plant in winter for spring flowering are actually fall-planted bulbs that simply didn’t make it into the ground on schedule. Late planting is possible under these conditions:

• You can plant bulbs in winter as long as the ground is still workable and has not frozen solid.
• Avoid planting bulbs in waterlogged or frozen soil.
• If the ground is already frozen, keep the bulbs in a cool, dry place and plant them as soon as the soil can be worked again.
• Late-planted bulbs may bloom later or less vigorously their first year, but they can establish and perform better in following seasons.

How to plant fall bulbs

Once you have your bulbs and the temperatures are cool enough, it’s time to get them in the ground. You’ll need to prepare the soil and plant them at the right depth.

A good rule of thumb is to plant fall bulbs when nighttime temperatures consistently fall into the 40–50°F (4–10°c)range and the soil has cooled to around 50–55°F (10–13°C).

Preparing the soil

• Loosen the soil in your planting area about 8 inches deep.
• Remove any twigs, sticks, and rocks so that the soil will allow bulbs to sprout and grow without any obstructions.
• Soil test kits will tell you whether the soil in your garden needs any nutrients that are necessary.
• If your soil is lacking. now is the time to mix in some organic matter such as compost, or a slow-release fertilizer.
• Backfill the hole with soil and compress it lightly.
• Water the soil well at planting time. Normal winter moisture will take care of watering after planting.

How deep to plant bulbs?

Planting depth depends on the size of your bulbs. Larger bulbs are planted more deeply than smaller bulbs.

• Check your packaging for recommendations on the planting depth for your bulbs.
• A good rule of thumb is to plant to a depth of about 2-3 times the height of your bulb.

Which end goes up?

Many bulbs don’t have any visible roots, so it can be a challenge to figure out which side goes up.

• Position the bulb on the flat end (which will grow the roots) on the bottom and the pointed end facing upward.
• If you can’t determine which end is which, plant the bulb on its side. In most cases, as it starts to grow, the bulbs will figure it out and grow upward.

Planting fall bulbs in the ground vs. containers

This is a personal choice. Planters look lovely when they are full of flowering bulbs, but if you do this, you’ll have to be more concerned about watering, since pots can dry out more quickly than the actual ground in flower beds does.

However, if you have squirrels and other critters that like to dig up and eat bulbs, pots may be a better choice.

Keeping squirrels away from bulbs

Squirrels love the taste of most spring-blooming bulbs and will often dig them up as fast as you can plant them. Here are a few tips for keeping them from eating your new bulbs.

• Plant your bulbs at the proper depth. Most squirrels won’t dig more than a couple of inches down.
• Place chicken wire or gravel over the bulbs to act as a barrier.
• Scatter cut-up eggshells around the planting site.
• Sprinkle coffee grounds near the bulb plantings.
• Use bulb cages to keep the squirrels from the bulbs.

If squirrels are a problem for you, be sure to read my post on how to keep squirrels from digging up bulbs. There are lots of tips to prevent this problem.

Caring for spring bulbs as they begin flowering

• Add a good slow-release fertilizer spread on top of the soil in spring.
• Once the flowers have finished blooming, leave the foliage.
• The bulbs use the leaves to gather nutrients from the soil to store energy for the following season’s blooms.
• When the foliage is completely yellow, you can cut it to ground level to tidy up the garden.

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🌷 Planning your spring garden? Now is the time to shop for bulbs to plant in fall! 🌱 From cheerful crocuses and daffodils to colorful tulips, fragrant hyacinths, and striking alliums, these 15 fall-planted favorites will give you… Share on X

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You can also watch this YouTube slideshow video about what bulbs to plant in fall for spring color!

Admin note: This post about the types of bulbs to plant in fall first appeared on the blog in November of 2017.  I have updated the post with extra planting information, new photos, a printable of fall bulbs, and a video for your enjoyment.

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