Tuberose oil is a staple scent for perfumery, obtained through chemical extraction by means of concretes and absolutes, and it is one of the most expensive natural fragrances available to perfumers.

Because of the flower's patrician demeanor and its expensive essence I always thought the tuberoses were difficult plants that require extreme amounts of care and pampering, but no, they are sturdy and gritty and like most summer bulbs they need virtually no care.

Tuberoses are of course frost tender and will not survive winters in areas above zone eight, but if you plant them in containers and bring them indoors during the cold season they will increase and bloom more from year to year, just like their warm climate counterparts.

The tuberose fragrance is so strong that it has sedative effects in large quantities and thus it is recommended to remove the cut flowers from areas where people sleep. It can cause headaches in excess, even in people who love it. Its heavy fragrance can overwhelm you over a long period of time, so if you like its perfume use it sparingly, a little goes a long way.

Author's Bio: 

Main Areas: Garden Writing; Sustainable Gardening; Homegrown Harvest
Published Books: “Terra Two”; “Generations”, "Letters to Lelia"
Career Focus: Author; Consummate Gardener;
Affiliation: All Year Garden; The Weekly Gardener; Francis Rosenfeld's Blog

I started blogging in 2010, to share the joy of growing all things green and the beauty of the garden through the seasons. Two garden blogs were born: allyeargarden.com and theweeklygardener.com, a periodical that followed it one year later. I wanted to assemble an informal compendium of the things I learned from my grandfather, wonderful books, educational websites, and my own experience, in the hope that other people might use it in their own gardening practice.