Daffodils nodding along a fence line are one of the first colors to show once the snow pulls back on the Island. Bulbs go in the ground the autumn before, and the choice you make then decides whether spring brings a few seasons of flowers or many.
Best Spring Bulbs to Grow in Prince Edward Island
Daffodils are the dependable choice here, with Fosteriana tulips, alliums and crocus filling in around them. Island winters are cold enough to give bulbs the 12 to 16 weeks of chill most of them need to flower, so no refrigerator chilling is required. Charlottetown sits in Canadian hardiness zone 5b, a system separate from the USDA map.
Daffodils
Daffodils are hardy enough for Island winters and last longer in the garden than tulips, which makes them the more reliable perennial bulb. They also naturalize well, especially in partly shady spots under trees and along borders.
Voles, squirrels, rabbits and deer leave daffodils alone, so they hold up where other bulbs get eaten. Plant them where you want a clump to widen over the years.
Fosteriana Tulips
Tulips are often short-lived, but Fosteriana tulips perennialize well and come back instead of fading after a season or two. If you want tulip color that returns, this is the group to look for.
Plant them in a spot that drains well and keep an eye out for rodents and deer, which go after tulips.
Alliums
According to Iowa State University Extension, alliums, the ornamental onions, need the cold of winter to bloom, like other spring-flowering bulbs. They flower at the tail end of the bulb season, after the early color has faded.
Tuck them between perennials so their tall stems rise through the foliage.
Crocus
Crocus are among the bulbs that voles, squirrels and rabbits go after, along with tulips. They are worth planting for early color, but expect to protect them or accept some losses.
Planting them near daffodils, which animals avoid, is a sensible way to hedge your bets.
Prince Edward Island — the year and the numbers
- State
- Prince Edward Island
- Hardiness zones
- 5b
- Last spring frost
- May 16
- First fall frost
- October 17
- Annual rain
- 46 in
- Lawn zone
- cool-season
- Source
- Environment and Climate Change Canada — Canadian Climate Normals 1981-2010, station CHARLOTTETOWN A · Charlottetown
How to Choose Spring Bulbs for Your Prince Edward Island Garden
The right bulb depends less on the catalog photo than on what your yard throws at it. Cold winters, hungry animals and shade each point toward a different answer, and daffodils come up more often than anything else.
Whatever you pick, plant once the soil has cooled below about 15°C (60°F). Roots then have time to form before the ground freezes, and the bulbs stay put instead of sprouting in the fall.
| Your situation | What suits it in Prince Edward Island | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Cold winter | Daffodils | They are hardy and last longer than tulips |
| Little time to tend the bed | Daffodils | They are the more reliable perennial bulb and naturalize on their own |
| Deer, voles or squirrels visit | Daffodils | Animals leave them alone, while tulips and crocus get eaten |
| Partly shady spot | Daffodils | They naturalize well in partial shade |
| You want tulips that return | Fosteriana tulips | They perennialize well where other tulips fade |
| Winters that supply the cold | Tulips, hyacinths and most other spring bulbs | Most need 12 to 16 weeks of cold, and the winter provides it |
Alliums need the cold of winter to bloom, like other spring-flowering bulbs. Bulbs still in the bag late in the season go into the ground anyway, as long as the soil can be dug.
Which Spring Bulbs Suit Different Parts of Prince Edward Island
The province is small, but a province is not one climate, and districts away from Charlottetown can run behind it in spring.
- Charlottetown and the surrounding area: This is the district that falls in Canadian hardiness zone 5b, and it handles daffodils, Fosteriana tulips, alliums and crocus without trouble.
- North Shore: Spring tends to arrive later here, so daffodils, which tolerate the cold and the animals, are the safer foundation for a bed.
- Western and eastern districts: Expect bloom to come later than in town, and plant on the early side of the fall window so roots settle before the ground freezes.
In every district, a thick planting of daffodils is the sturdy base, and tulips and crocus are the extras.
Spring Bulb Buying Mistakes to Avoid in Prince Edward Island
Counting on Tulips to Last
Tulips are often short-lived in the garden, and voles, squirrels, rabbits and deer eat them. A bed planted only with ordinary tulips can thin out fast.
Choose Fosteriana tulips if you want them to return, and let daffodils carry the bed.
Planting Too Early
Bulbs set in warm soil may sprout in the fall, and that growth is hurt by the first hard freezes. Wait until the soil has cooled below about 15°C (60°F).
October is the month to aim for on the Island, so the roots form before the ground freezes.
Saving Bulbs in the Bag
A bulb left in the bag over the winter is worse off than one planted late. If bulbs are still unplanted when the weather turns, plant them as long as the ground can be dug.
Afterward, leave the leaves on until they turn brown, and remove only the faded flowers. Those leaves feed the bulb for next year.
Where to Get Spring Bulb Advice in Prince Edward Island
Canada has no county extension offices, so local help comes from the province and from nearby growers. Planting months follow the nearest comparable climate, so confirm local timing with a garden centre or garden society.
- The Prince Edward Island agriculture pages are the place to look for provincial gardening and pest information before you plant.
- A local garden centre can tell you what has done well nearby, so visit before the fall planting window opens.
- Provincial gardening groups and garden societies meet through the growing season and can answer questions about your district.
Common Questions
When Should You Plant Spring Bulbs in Prince Edward Island?
October is the month for tulips, daffodils, crocus, alliums and hyacinths. Bulbs that are still unplanted can go in during November or December, as long as the ground is not frozen.
When Do Tulips and Daffodils Bloom on the Island?
Most flower in April and May. The earliest hardy bulbs can start in March, and later varieties carry on into late April and May.
When Can You Cut Back the Leaves After Bloom?
Wait until the leaves turn brown, since they feed the bulb for next year. Until then, remove only the faded flowers.