over-enthusiastic bulbs
Diane Whitehead (Mon, 05 May 2008 13:01:15 PDT)

We have lists of bulbs that do well with no fussing, bulbs that won't
do well even if you do fuss a bit, and now, how about bulbs that over-
extend themselves?

Sometimes these are ones that are difficult to get started, like lily-
of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis) and Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria
aurantiaca). Once they decide to grow, however, they're off!

Some produce copious seed and offsets, like Spanish bluebells
(currently Hyacinthoides hispanica, I think) and various Muscari.

I don't think any bulbs invade natural areas on their own, though
Alstroemeria can explode their seedpods and shoot their seeds a short
distance. The more usual method of invasion is by tidy gardeners who
have been observed trundling wheelbarrow loads of them into the
woods. Once there, they spread.

So - what bulbs would you warn against in your area?

Diane Whitehead