Anyone ever plant "TUBEROSE" ??

While checking out a farmer's market last Autumn, I ran across some tuberose flowers. The aroma was heavenly. Much like jasmine or honeysuckle or gardenia. I would like to grow some and have been researching them. I thought that some of you may have raised some and could give me some first-hand advice. Anyone?

Here is a little that I found:


http://mama.essortment.com/tuberoseflower_rnqq.htm




The tuberose flower
Tuberose has a heady floral scent that continues to produce itself. Tuberose [Polianthes tuberosa] is native to Central America. The family name is Amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae), commonly known as the lily.


Most flowers begin to lose their scent when they are picked. Tuberose, like jasmine, has a heady floral scent that continues to produce itself. Tuberose [Polianthes tuberosa] is native to Central America. The family name is Amaryllis (Amaryllidaceae), commonly known as the lily.


“Books do not seem to agree as to whether the tuberose is an annual or a perennial. What is consistent is that night-blooming plants are regarded as annuals and then have been adapted to tropical conditions, becoming ‘tender’ perennials which flaunt their blooms by the second year.” ‘A Mysterious Whiteness’ [Aromatherapy Quarterly, Spring, 1998] by Eva-Marie Lind, CA



Aztec healers called it omixochitl [bone-flower] due to the waxy, luminous white flowers that actually contain anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties. Tuberose may grow wild in Mexico and surrounding countries, but the cultivation of tuberose is usually in Morocco, the Comores Islands, France, Hawaii, South Africa, India, and China.


Growing Tuberose:

“An easily grown tuberous plant requiring the same cultural methods used for gladioli; that is, plant in spring and then [for young tubers not mature enough to flower] remove from the soil, dry, and store during the winter.” From the book ‘Flowers: A Guide to Your Garden, Volume 2’ by Ippolito Pizzetti and Henry Crocket.


The tuberose grows in elongated spikes that produce clusters of aromatic white flowers. Normal tuberose will grow to be about one foot in diameter. The flower spikes will be up to two feet in height. Tuberose flowers will bloom from the bottom toward the top of the spike.


Tuberoses may be grown outdoors in warm climates. They flourish in sunlit places and bloom in late summer. After the last frost, plant the tuberoses in a sunny spot, beneath a couple of inches of soil and approximately a foot apart. Fertilize and water regularly. If you pot and grow tuberose indoors, keep at a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Potted bulbs take about four to five months to bloom. Tuberose is not a hardy plant, and if it is started early inside then planted into the garden when the risk of frost is past. Tuberoses thrive in the sunshine and prefer well-drained soil. The aromatic flowers can be cut but the water must be changed daily. The plants grow two to three feet high and different bulbs bloom at different times. The tubers are planted with the top of the tuber exposed. Tubers are dug and stored in sand or peat at a temperature of 60 degrees. Remove offsets at planting time but these take more than a year to bloom.


Tuberose in Hawaii:

For millions of tourists who have been to Hawaii, the first scent to greet their nostrils has been that of the offered tuberose leis. The ancient tradition for a Hawaiian wedding is for the bride and groom to wear flowers. The groom wears a maile lei, which is a naïve Kauai plant, while the bride wears a wreath of tuberose and pikaki flowers around her head called a haku. The custom is still popular as a part of a time-honored Hawaiian wedding ceremony. The Tuberose is a two-inch long white flower with a strong sweet fragrance. Commercial tuberose growing season is year round with production hitting the highest point from February through October. Approximately 40 tuberose flowers are used for a single lei. The flower will sometimes naturally brown in shipping, but the fragrance does not go away.


Healing Tuberose:

The legend of the tuberose in France warns that young girls should not breathe in its fragrance after dark for fear that it would put them in a romantic mood. In India, tuberose is known as rat KI rani, [The Mistress of the Night] for similar reasons. In Ayurvedic medicine, attars are held in high esteem not only for their exquisite fragrance, but their healing properties. Tuberose is known to improve one’s capacity for emotional depth. By opening the crown chakra it improves psychic powers. Tuberose also amplifies artistic inspiration as it stimulates the creative right side of the brain. And it brings serenity to the mind and heart. Maybe these reasons are why tuberose essential oil is so pricey!


More expensive than most rose attars, pure tuberose essential oil is difficult to find. “If you want to be precise, there is no ‘essential oil’ of tuberose. The flowers won't stand up to the high temperature of water/steam distillation. Therefore a solvent, usually hexane, is used. Solvent extracted oils are absolutes. Some aromatherapists will not use them, as they believe there are traces of the solvent in the oil, even if only on a vibrational level. I disagree with this in general, and use absolutes quite often, however, it is case by case, as I often will choose to use only distilled oils in a blend.” Trygve Harris, Enfleurage, New York City.


“But this is where phytol enters center stage…the product of the amazing Phytoncis process, conceived and developed by Peter Wilde in England. Phytonics uses low pressure, involves no heat and uses a solvent which is recyclable; it produces an essential oil that requires no additional processing unlike other concretes and, remarkably, does not emit by-products that damage the endangered ozone layer.” Eva-Marie Lind, Dean of the Aromatherapy Department of the Australasian College of Herbal Studies.


Make Your Own Tuberose Essential Oil Recipe:

You can make your own tuberose perfume using other pure essential oils. This won’t really save you that much money if you have to buy these essential oils, but if you have them on hand, then give it a try! To make this perfume for one application, it is important to use a carrier oil such as sweet almond or jojoba. Add jasmine, rose and ylang ylang oil with just a hint of neroli oil. It will be a wonderful floral combination that will be a sincere imitation for tuberose.


Where to Buy Tuberose Essential Oil:

Please make sure that you don’t buy products that are ‘bargains.’ When double-checking references, the author surfed upon a web site where tuberose essential oil was sold at $3.50 for ¼ ounce! This is impossibly cheap and makes mockery of the term essential, which cannot possibly apply to this ‘tuberose’ oil. When purchasing pure essential oils, you really do get what you pay for. Some places sell it for $100 per 5 ml.!



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