Plant Guide: Tulipa

The tulip originates from Central Asia, particularly the Tien Shan mountains in present-day Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and western China, where related wild species still grow today. Via trade routes the flower reached the Ottoman Empire, where it had been cultivated for centuries and was a beloved motif in gardens, carpets and tiles; the name "tulip" even derives from the Turkish word for turban, after the flower's shape. In the second half of the 16th century the first bulbs arrived in Western Europe, including the Netherlands, brought by diplomats and botanists. The botanist Carolus Clusius began growing tulips in 1593 at the Hortus Botanicus in Leiden, and from there the flower spread rapidly across the country. This led to the notorious "tulip mania" of the 1630s, when bulbs were at times traded for extreme sums. Since then, the tulip has become one of the most iconic flowers of the Netherlands, with thousands of cultivars in virtually every imaginable colour and shape.

GROWING CONDITIONS

Position Tulips need at least half a day of full sun and shelter from the wind.

Location Grow tulips in beds and borders, in rock gardens, or in pots. Make sure the soil is well-draining and rich in organic matter. Add lime to acidic soil.

GROWING

Planting Plant the bulbs late in autumn. Planting depth varies with bulb size and is usually 15–20 cm for the large types and 10 cm for the smaller ones. Space them 10–20 cm apart.

Feeding Feed as soon as the flower buds become visible, and repeat after flowering. Water during dry weather, especially while the plants are in bud.

Problems Tulip breaking virus, which causes streaking of the flowers, is spread by aphids. Remove affected plants and control the aphids.

Tulip fire is a form of Botrytis, or grey mould. Flowers and leaves develop brown spots; the stem can start to rot and a fuzzy grey mould can form on the affected parts. Destroy affected plants and avoid planting tulips in the same spot for several years. In an early stage the infection can be treated with a fungicide.

FLOWERING

Season Depending on the species or hybrid, tulips flower from late winter into late spring.

Cutting If you want to cut flowers for indoors, choose ones that are still in bud and cut them early in the morning. Change the water in the vase regularly.

AFTER FLOWERING

Care Remove spent flower stems and clear away dead leaves. Tulip bulbs can stay in the ground for two to three years, or be lifted once the leaves have died back. Clean the bulbs and store them in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. Dwarf tulips are usually best left in the ground, but other varieties tend to flower better if lifted and replanted every year. If you don't want to do that every year, plant the bulbs deep.

AT A GLANCE

Very well-known flowers in all kinds of colours, sizes and shapes, flowering from late winter until late spring.

 

Recommended varieties: Apricot Pride', 'Black Parrot', 'Blushing Lady', 'Candy Club', 'Cherry Delight', 'Clusiana var. chrysantha', 'Crown of Dynasty', 'Daydream', 'Doll's Minuet', 'Estella Rijnveld', 'Fancy Frills', 'Flaming Club'