Polianthes, or Tuberose

Polianthes, or Tuberose (lat. Polianthus) - a genus of perennial bulbous herbaceous plants of the Agavaceae family (Agavaceae). The genus comprises about 13 species occurring mainly in the region of Mexico.

In cultivation:

Tuberose - Polianthes tuberosa

The plant's name comes from the Latin 'tuberosa', which is derived from 'tuber' — tuber and indicates the plant's growth form.

An herbaceous perennial up to 110 cm tall, leaves narrow, linear, dark green, 30—45 cm long.
Flowers tubular, single or double, pure white, wax-like, very fragrant, 3—6 cm long, gathered in spike-like inflorescences rising above the foliage. Fruit - a capsule. Blooms in August-September. It has a very strong scent that can cause headaches if the plant or flowers are kept in a small room.

Used for forcing, in winter gardens, as a pot plant, and outdoors in warm climate zones. Some cultivars are used in the perfume industry.

Location: prefers fairly bright and warm places. Tuberoses are more often grown not in the open ground but in greenhouses, conservatories, or as houseplants. If tuberoses are planted in pots in March, flowering occurs in August.

Soil: not demanding, they grow normally on loamy and ordinary garden soils, however they bloom and vegetate more luxuriantly in fertile soils.

Care: tuberoses overwinter in the open ground only in the south. In regions with a temperate climate, the bulbs are planted in early June, and after flowering, in August-September, they are dug up and stored over winter in a dry place at a temperature of 10°C. To accelerate flowering, the bulbs in spring, about 3—4 weeks before planting, are laid out on a moist substrate for pre-growing.

Propagation: by bulbs, offsets, which are planted in the open ground in May at a depth of 2 – 3 cm.