O’Brien: Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ among the beauties up for grabs at Smith County Master Gardeners sale

Published 5:00 am Monday, October 13, 2025

If you’re looking to brighten up your garden this spring, Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ is a top pick. These cheerful bulbs grow in sunny clumps, sending up stems loaded with blue-violet, star-shaped flowers that pop against their grassy leaves. Native to California, they’re tough enough to handle a range of weather and pretty forgiving if you’re not a gardening pro.

I planted some several years ago because I wanted to try a different colored bulb in my flower garden. They have bloomed their little purple hearts out each year and I couldn’t be happier. The flowers bloom from late spring into early summer. Each 20-24” stem carries a bunch of delicate blossoms, and their subtle scent is a bonus if you happen to catch it. Plant the bulbs in fall, about three inches deep and a few inches apart. They’re happiest in loose, well-drained soil and will thank you with more flowers if they get plenty of sun—though a bit of shade is fine, too. After blooming, just leave the foliage to die naturally. It helps the bulbs get ready for next year’s display.

One of the best things about Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ is that it’s pretty hands-off. Once it’s settled in, it can handle dry spells and doesn’t attract a lot of pests. The bulbs do like some elbow room, so if your patch gets crowded, dig them up and spread them out every few years. Bees and butterflies are big fans, so you’ll get some welcome visitors as well.

These bulbs look great in flower beds, rock gardens, pots, or even snipped for a vase indoors. Consider pairing them some white Tazettas such as ‘Sir Winston Churchill’ or ‘Geranium’, or a white Hardy Gloxinia. They also look fantastic planted near the magenta Byzantine Gladiolus or pink Chinese Ground Orchid. I planted some next to some orange Crocosmia Montbretia and it was stunning! With their easy care and splashy color, Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ is a surefire way to add a little spring magic to your yard—year after year.

The Smith County Master Gardeners (SCMG) have been trialing these for the past 4 years in both the Tyler Botanical Gardens and in member’s personal gardens with great success, so much so that we are adding them for sale in the annual From Bulbs to Blooms Sale this year. Normally, all the bulbs sold at the sale have been trialed for at least 20 years but members have been so impressed with this little purple/deep blue jewel, we’ve decided to offer Triteleia ‘Queen Fabiola’ to the public a little early. We’d love to hear how it performs for you!

These and all the bulbs mentioned are available at the SCMG annual From Bulbs to Blooms Conference and Sale. The online store opens Oct. 13-22. The free conference, order pick up, and in-person sale is Oct. 25. For more information, visit: https://txmgsc.org/event/from-bulbs-to-blooms-conference-and-bulb-sale/

Smith County Master Gardeners are volunteer educators certified and coordinated by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.