Abstract Corms of Freesia hybrida Bailey ‘Moya’ and F. hybrida ‘Maria’ were stored at 2°, 13°, or 30°C immediately after harvest and sampled at 0, 6, or 13 weeks for fresh weight, sprouting ability, free indoleacetic acid (IAA), free abscisic acid (ABA) and conjugated ABA (conj-ABA). High performance liquid and gas-liquid chromatography methods were used for identification and quantification of the extractable IAA, ABA, and conj-ABA. Shoots from corms planted immediately after harvest emerged in 33 to 57 days. It is suggested that freshly harvested F. hybrida corms exhibit physiological dormancy for not more than 4 to 6 weeks and subsequently enter a state of imposed dormancy in storage at 30° or 2°. Physiological dormancy was released more rapidly and corm shoots emerged more rapidly during imposed dormancy when stored at 30° versus 2°. The 30° treatment did not appear to be mandatory for shoot emergence since corms stored at 2° or 13° for 6 weeks emerged within 5 or 20 days, respectively. Extended storage at 13° promoted pupation whereas storage at 30° and 2° prevented pupation. Pupated corms did not emerge when planted. The IAA, ABA, and conj-ABA levels in the corms during storage did not correspond with growth inhibition but rather appeared to relate to the formation of the new corm during pupation.