what are these bulbs doing?

These bulbs i was storing in a pot started pushing themselves up out of the pot with these downward projections. What are they? I've never seen anything like this. Pretty sure these are tulip bulbs.

It does look like a tulip leaf. But if those are roots they sure are big and healthy.

I hope someone can answer that question! What are the bulbs?

Just a shot in the dark... could they be leeks? Perhaps there where leek seeds at the bottom of the pot and it was the easiest way out, especially once they saw some daylight? Have you tried smelling them? Otherwise, I don't know what I'm talking about and hope someone can solve this odd mystery.

Why don't you remove all of the soil from around the bulbs and then take another picture? That would solve the mystery of what the projections are.

Many South African bulbs have a large taproot which comes out of the middle of the bottom of the bulb. Maybe this is the same?

I'm pretty sure they are tulips, maybe some species tulip for warmer climates ???? these projections actually pushed the whole thing up and out of the pot.

Good idea faden!

How weird! Kinda looks like some bulbs got turned upside down in the pot? Maybe all of them- the tops look more like foliage from offsets, while the growth at the bottom looks like the main sprouts.

Thats what i thought, but the bulbs are upright I guess i'll just wait and see what they do.

Hey wonderearth, just noticed you're from Santa Cruz (lived there for 20 years... '78 - '98). Where did you get those tulips anyway... The Mystery Spot?

How about another photo without the soil?

hehe- thats just up the road! maybe thats whats wrong?

ok i'll do it. i'll unwind the roots and try to take a pic.

get ready for a surprise!

Looks like a tulip leaf to me.

So its definitely a tulip and I came across a thread talking about species tulips being stolloniferous. Meaning that they send out stolons under ground and spread this way making little colonies. I think this is what this is. I bought some species tulips last year and after I moved to my new house things got a little mixed up. These little projections are starting to get kind of bulbous at the tips and this fits the description i read online. If the changes become significant enough to see in a photo I'll post another one.

Gosh, don't keep us in suspense! Interesting!

Sadly, A critter got the whole bunch of them but they started to turn pink and got quite bulblike. I'm saying stoloniferous tulip it was but is no longer.

So sorry to hear a critter got them. I know that must be disappointing,