Plantlet regeneration and stability from callus cultures of Freesia × hybrida Bailey cultivar ‘Royal’

True-to-type plantlets of Freesia × hybrida Bailey cultivar ‘Royal’ were generated from callus after 27 months of sub-culture in liquid medium. Callus was initiated from young flower pedicels cultured on semi-solid Linsmaier—Skoog (LS) medium supplemented with 5 mg/l of 2,4-D and 0.5 mg/l kinetin, and transferred to the same medium in liquid form without hormones and thereafter sub-cultured every 7–10 days. Liquid cultures with 2.4–4.3 g of callus per 25 ml medium produced largest increases in callus fresh weight. Callus generated the most shoots when cultured on LS medium supplemented with 5 mg/l of kinetin and incubated in the light, while fewer plantlets were produced when no growth regulator or GA₃ or PBA were used. Callus cultures incubated in continuous darkness did not form shoots.