Tulips 101
The flowers that say spring like no other
The National Garden Bureau (NGB) has declared 2018 as the ‘Year of the Tulip.’ Each year, the ‘Year of the’ program highlights the characteristics and benefits of one annual, perennial, bulb and edible, chosen for their versatility, adaptability and ease of growth. Please enjoy the following tulip details from the good folks at the NGB. Where possible, I have included local growing tips and varieties that can be sourced in our area.
Tulips say spring like no other flowers. Their vivid, paint-box colours are a feast for winter-weary eyes. These members of the lily family (thus, a relative of onions) typically grow a single stem and flower from teardrop-shaped bulbs that are planted in fall for spring flowers. Tulip bulbs require a dormancy period with cool, winter-like temperatures. During this time, the bulbs sprout roots and the embryonic leaves and flowers inside the bulb begin to develop.
Tulips are native to southern Europe, the eastern Mediterranean, North Africa and Asia. Works of art depicting their distinctive shape date back to the 10th century. They have been cultivated in earnest for at least 400 years. By leveraging the tulip’s natural tendency toward diversity, generations of breeders and tulip collectors, have brought forth a mind-boggling array of flower forms, heights, colours and bloom times. Today, Holland produces most of the world’s annual tulip crop, which exceeds four billion bulbs annually. Tulip sampler
There are over 150 species of tulips with over 3,000 different varieties and are classified by type, this is just a sampling of the many available types. Keep this list in mind when you are visiting the tulip displays around Niagara this spring. Mark the types you like (or capture on your smart phone) and then use the list as reference when shopping for tulips later in the season.
Single Early: Medium size blossoms with a classic tulip shape.
Short, sturdy stems with an overall height of 25 to 35 cm. Very hardy performers here in Niagara, they are often fragrant. Purple Prince, Apricot Beauty.
Triumph: This class offers the widest range of tulip colours. Triumphs are mid-season bloomers and stand 38 to 50 cm. Apricot beauty,
Darwin Hybrid: Strong plants with large flowers. Bulbs often return and bloom for several years. Darwin tulips have proven to be very reliable in my Niagara garden. Mid-Spring and 55 cm tall. Apricot and Pink Impression, Menton, Shirley, Queen of the Night
Lily-Flowered: Long, narrow cups with pointed petals that flare out at the top. Excellent for cutting. 40-55 cm cm tall. Elegant Lady, Pretty Woman
Fringed: The top edge of each petal is whiskered and often slightly paler in colour. Bloom time is mid to late spring. Overall height 45 cm. Curley Sue and Siesta.
Rembrandt: Petals display exotic markings and colour breaks. Resemble the tulips in 17th-century paintings. 55 cm tall. Rembrandt Mix.
Double Late: Plush, peony-like flowers are long-lasting in the garden or in a vase. Many cultivars are fragrant. 45 cm tall. Angelique
Fosteriana: Also known as Emperor tulips. Big flowers are 10-12 cm tall and open wide on sunny days. Early spring flowering, re-bloom in my Niagara garden. 40 cm tall. Orange Emperor, Purissima, Red Emperor
Greigii: Decorative foliage adds to the appeal of these flowers. Some cultivars have two to four flowers per stem. 30 cm tall. Red Riding Hood
Species (Botanical tulips): Wild or wild-like cultivars with relatively small flowers on slender stems. Good for naturalizing, very reliable here in Niagara, lots of flowers. The leaves are often slender, easier to blend with later blooming perennials. 10 to 25 cm tall. Lilac Wonder, Peppermint Stick, Kaufmanniana Waterlily.
Multiflowering: Sometimes called “bouquet” tulips. Three to five flowers per stem extends bloom time and impact. 25-40 cm tall. Toronto, Purple Bouquet
Garden How-to’s
It may seem early to think about ordering tulips, but the bulb catalogues usually appear in June. You will get the best selection and the most unusual varieties by ordering early; the bulbs are not shipped until it is time for planting. Clip this page and tuck it away for later reference.
Purchase tulip bulbs that are large, firm and heavy. Store the bulbs in a cool, dark place until planting time.
Plant tulips in mid to late fall, when you are raking leaves and doing other fall clean up chores. Soil temperature should be 13 Celsius or cooler. Choose a planting location with full to part day sun, where the soil is well drained and easy to dig (never soggy). Loosen the soil to a depth of 10 inches.
Tulips look best when they are planted in informal groups of 12 or more bulbs. Space the bulbs approximately 3 to 4 inches on centre and plant them 6 to 7 inches deep. Use a garden trowel to plant individual bulbs or remove the soil from the planting area, place the bulbs and then refill the hole. Tulips are at their best the first spring after planting. For this reason, the bulbs are usually treated as annuals and dug out when they finish blooming. Under ideal growing conditions (sharply drained soil, cold winters, cool springs, hot, dry summers) some tulips will return to bloom again another year. The best candidates are Darwin hybrids and Species tulips. To encourage reblooming, cut off the spent flowers as soon as they fade and allow the foliage to continue growing until it is yellow and dry.