Difference Between Corm and Bulb (original) (raw)
Last Updated : 23 Jul, 2025
**Differences between Bulb and Corm lie in their structure and composition. Though both are **modified underground stems, bulbs and corms have many differences. Corms are swollen stems storing food reserves, while bulbs consist of layers of modified leaves storing nutrients for growth.
Corms and bulbs are involved in **vegetative propagation in plants. Corm examples include crocus and gladiolus plants and Bulb examples include tulips and onions. In this article, we will read the difference between bulbs and corm in detail.
Table of Content
- What are Bulbs in Plants?
- What is Corm in Plants?
- Difference Between Corm and Bulb
- Conclusion - Differences Between Corm and Bulb
- Difference Between Related Links
What are Bulbs in Plants?
A bulb is an underground storage organ made up of modified, fleshy leaves covering a short, swollen stem base. **Monocotyledonous plants, which are designed for food, water storage, and reproduction, produce bulbs. **Oxalis is the only dicot genus capable of producing bulbs. To distinguish between bulbs and other forms, horticulturists refer to them as **true bulbs. There are two types of bulbs
- T**unicated Bulbs
- Compound Tunicated Bulbs
In a tunicated bulb, the fleshy scale leaves are attached to the reduced stem and some of the outer scale leaves become dry and form an outer layer known as Tunic. In compound tunicated bulbs, the individual scale leaves are known as **Bulbets or cloves forming 2 or 3 concentric rings around the central axis.
Examples of Bulbs:
- Tulips
- Onions
- Daffodils
**Also Read: Difference Between Monocotyledon And Dicotyledon
What is Corm in Plants?
Another kind of underground storage organ is a **corm, which does not have modified leaves' protective outer layers like bulbs do. Rather, a corm is a nutrient-storing solid, bulging stem base. A corm contains a ring of thick, fibrous roots around the base, several buds near the top, and a tuft of leaves on the upper side. The terminal shoot, which frequently develops into leaves or a flowering stalk, is found at the apex of the corm.
Corms consist of a basal plate at the bottom and one or more growth tips on the top. Cormous plants can reproduce through corm segments, cormels, or new corms. A mother corm often produces two to three baby corms as well as fifteen to twenty cormlets, or small corms.
Examples of Corms:
- Crocus
- Gladiolus
- Taro
- Colocasia
**Also Read: Morphology of Leaves - Types & Structure
Difference Between Corm and Bulb
There are several differences between Corn and Bulb which includes:
| Characteristics | Corm | Bulb |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | It has solid, fleshy underground stem growing vertically. It is spherical, elongated and compressed. | It is spherical or pyriform. |
| Structure | It is usually unbranched, round and swollen stem base with scaly leaves. | Consist of short convex disc, from the upper surface of which fleshy scale leaves arise. |
| Type | It is underground stem modification. | Condense shoot that grow underground. |
| Stem | Enlarged and swollen | Conical |
| Buds | External buds. | Buds internal and remain covered with fleshy leaves. |
| Adventitious root | Developed all over the stem. | Develop downward from the bulbous disc. |
| Example | Colocasia, crocus. | Onion, Garlic |
| Food storage | It contains a heavy deposit of food material in stem. | Food is stored in the fleshy leaves. |
| Tunic | It is absent | It is present |
| Nodes | Circular nodes are present. | Distinct nodes are present. |
| Cork | It is surrounded by cork. | Cork is absent. Bulb are covered by layer tunic. |
| Growth and propagation | Usually on the sides or above the stem. | New bulbs are replaced by old ones. |
Conclusion - Differences Between Corm and Bulb
Though bulbs and corms both act as underground storage organs for plants, there are significant differences between corms and bulb. A corm is a thick, swollen stem that the plant uses to store energy and nutrients. It is frequently utilised for both reproduction and survival. In contrast, a bulb is made up of layers of succulent leaves that encircle a central stalk and act as a storehouse for water and nutrients.
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