bulb: Quick Facts

Written and fact-checked by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Photos and Videos

yellow onions and red onions

A hyacinth (Hyancinthus) bulb, an underground stem that produces aerial foliage. The foliage dies back to the bulb, which houses a maturing flower bud. The bulb is common in herbaceous perennials that become dormant in response to a seasonal change in climate or water availability.

Sprouting narcissus (Narcissus) bulb

How do plants reproduce asexually?

See All Videos and Images →

Topics

scaly bulb tunicate bulb bulbil Onion Root vegetable Garlic leaf stem shoot system propagule cotyledon stomate tendril Why Do Leaves Fall in Autumn?Why do leaves change colors in the fall?corm Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall?rhizome tuber haustorium

Dig Deeper: More Articles That Discuss This Topic