Spotlight: Tulips
It’s tulip season! It’s only right that we highlighted this beautiful bulb this month. A springtime star, tulips are always bound to bring smiles and color into in any space. Let’s get started —
All About Tulips
Tulips (genus tulipa) are native to Central Asia and were first cultivated in 10th century Iran. They became a significant symbol for the Ottoman Empire (present day Turkey) in the 16th century and have since become of the most notable and highly sought out plants in the world.
Technically, tulips are identified as perennials, but most treat them as annuals due to the fact that they grow smaller the second time around and many love to experiment with fresh colors; fully removing the bulb after it finishes blooming and planting fresh ones for the following year is the most followed trajectory by avid gardeners.
popular tulip types
Tulips are easily identified by their oval shape and vibrant colors. You will notice some bulbs are larger than others, and that all depends on weather conditions and the many different types of tulips. There are around 100 different species and endless hybrids that have been developed over the years (one of our favorites being peony tulips!). Tulips are classified by size, flowering time, and range of color. Here are the types you can find throughout the season:
Early spring — Single and double flowered types are the earliest bloomers
Mid-spring — Mendels and Darwins, which are among some of the most popular tulips begin blooming halfway into the season
Late spring — This is where you’ll find the most diverse pool of tulips blooming all at once in a multitude of rainbow colors. You can find varieties such as parrot tulips (another one of our favorites), cottage tulips, and lily-flowered tulips to name a few
how to care for them
We’ll cut to the good part: tulips are easy to grow and maintain! All you really have to do is plant the bulbs in fall and wait for bountiful blooms come spring. Tulips shine brighter when planted in bulk and in various color ways - trust us on this one!
Light: tolerant of many kinds of conditions, tulips will do well either in partial shade or full sun. Interestingly enough, they grow best in areas that experience cold winters (specifically zones 3-7)
Soil: substantial drainage to avoid soil from getting too moist/soggy; mulch can be an effective aid for drainage
Water: water once a week the first week you plant them, then leave them alone until spring! Low maintenance luxuries. Begin watering them again once/week when leaves surface
interesting facts
Tulips originate from the popular lily family. Do you see the resemblance?
It’s said that the Netherlands is one of the first countries to make tulips mainstream and popular (look up Tulip Mania in the Netherlands if you have time)
You can find these flowers in most colors and even find streaked varieties, however you’ll never find blue tulips
The streaking you see on some tulip petals is a due to an infection (don’t worry, it’s harmless! But it sure gives a pretty effect)
There are a handful of tulip species that are risk of becoming extinct
“Tulip” originated from the Turkish word used for turban
