You usually are not alone—the craving for spring is each common and comprehensible. And for many people, spring interprets into bulbs. Much more particularly, we consider spring by way of tulips. However perhaps you’re pondering twice about tulips. Maybe an emphasis on naturalistic plantings has introduced with it a leaning away from the cultivated lollipop look of the extremely bred tulip hybrids. If that’s the place you end up, species tulips are the reply.
Though collectively known as “species tulips,” many of those bulbs have cultivars (like different crops), as a result of choices capturing the perfect shade or a shade quirk have been made. Even so, these cultivars are nonetheless a lot nearer to their wild counterparts than the standard hybrid tulips you discover in the marketplace. This naming conference is only a strategy to cement sure traits.
Species tulips boast a whole lot of useful qualities that make them sterling harbingers of spring. To begin with, their efficiency kicks off even sooner than that of most early hybrid tulips. Usually, species tulips intersect with midseason and later daffodils (Narcissus spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9), so that you get success early—proper out of the beginning gate.
After which there’s the extra naturalistic look that the species tulips ship. In comparison with their hybrid brethren, they’re downscaled in flower measurement and general stature, typically with gracefully arched stems. If the climate doesn’t hand out an early season warmth wave, these naturalistic-looking gems will linger for a number of weeks to weave a colourful carpet—particularly in the event you plant a number of varieties for a succession of the stampede.
Maybe better of all, species tulips are typically perennial in the event you deal with them proper (offering good drainage and good mild, and letting the foliage mature and die again naturally). That attribute is very welcome provided that it’s greatest to deal with most different tulips like annuals. And so far as shade vary is worried, there is no such thing as a compromise. Species tulips exist in vibrant or delicate pinks, reds, buttery oranges, and purples, identical to the massive guys. That is undoubtedly an possibility you need to discover.
At a look
Identify: Tulipa spp. and cvs.
Zones: 3–8
Circumstances: A minimum of six hours of full solar; well-drained (ideally sandy loam) soil
Native vary: Europe, Asia, Center East
Planting: Sink your bulbs within the floor in fall when the soil temperature has persistently dropped to round 55°F (this encourages desired root progress, not prime progress) and at a depth 3 times the diameter of the bulb.
CHILLING NEEDS: Tulip bulbs require a minimal of 10 weeks of soil temperatures persistently between 35° and 45°F in fall/winter. This may be achieved artificially in refrigeration—an important technique, particularly for forcing in containers.
Turkestan tulip is an early bloomer that pairs properly with daffodils
Though the flowers of this species from Turkestan and thereabouts are similar to these of late tulip, albeit with decreased yellow within the middle, the general look is sort of totally different. Every darkish bronze flower stem holds a wand of many creamy buds—often 4 to eight—they usually open as a swooping cluster. One of many earliest bloomers within the tulip realm, Turkestan tulip can synchronize with miniature daffodils, making their yellow pistils pop.
Identify: T. turkestanica
Peak: 6 to eight inches
Bloom time: Early to midspring
Flax-leaved tulip is a standout with dramatic purple flowers and slender leaves
If brilliant purple tulips outline spring for you, plant this scaled-down model of the massive purple brethren. Flax-leaved tulip is a show-stopper that delivers the identical shade punch however not the stiff progress behavior. This petite tulip dazzles with shiny lipstick-red petals which can be contrasted with a black eye, making the message extra dramatic. The foliage is one other plus of this Iran, Afghanistan, and Central Asia native that’s typically chosen as a rock backyard plant. The pencil-thin leaves are so slender that they don’t learn as an eyesore needing to be hidden beneath fellow bedmates through the plant’s dying-back course of. As a substitute, they’re hardly noticeable.
Identify: T. linifolia
Peak: 4 to six inches
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Late tulip brightens the backyard with star-shaped blossoms
A fantastic performer 12 months after 12 months when given a sunny location and good drainage, late tulip swells its glowing white, star-shaped blossoms to disclose an ultrabright buttercup-yellow coronary heart. Every bulb produces a number of upward-facing flowers. The pencil-thin foliage is hardly noticeable whereas it’s feeding the bulb for the next 12 months’s efficiency, and the lax flower stems make this little species appear like a wildling. Native to rocky subalpine areas in Central Asia, late tulip is claimed to tolerate humusy backyard soil higher than most tulips. So far as timing (the title says all of it), this is among the final species to bloom in spring.
Identify: T. tarda
Peak: 4 to six inches
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
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Praestan’s tulip gives taller choices for beds and borders
Bigger and taller than their fellow species tulips and with broad foliage that appears just like the hybrids’, Praestan’s tulips lead the pack to bloom sooner than most species tulips within the season. ‘Shogun’ opens a wealthy shade someplace between melon and pumpkin. ‘Bloemenlust’ is fireplace engine purple. Each are tremendous straightforward to develop within the floor or as compelled bulbs and are very noticeable from a distance. In truth, they learn like a bridge between wild and cultivated tulips. Combine them with grape hyacinths (Muscari spp. and cvs., Zones 2–9) for a shocking combo.
Identify: T. praestans and cvs.
Peak: 10 to 14 inches
Bloom time: Early spring
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Girl tulip is a showy performer, even within the South
Not solely do the numerous types of T. clusiana boast all of the aforementioned species tulip advantages, however additionally they function one other sturdy go well with: They will stage their present within the South. That’s proper—they don’t require a protracted chilling interval to carry out. Amongst woman tulips (additionally known as “candlestick tulips”), ‘Girl Jane’ leads the recognition ballot, whereas ‘Cynthia’, ‘Tinka’, and the earlier-flowering ‘Tubergen’s Gem’ (T. clusiana var. chrysantha ‘Tubergen’s Gem’) are worthy of buying by way of mail order as properly. These choices are notably showy members of the species realm, with white or pale-yellow petals surrounded by brighter pink to purple outer petals to realize a putting candy-stripe impact.
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Though the blossoms usually are not fairly the dimensions of a hybrid tulip’s, they’re actually showy. Native to Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and the western Himalayas, this stoic little species has damaged free to naturalize in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Tunisia, Greece, and Turkey. And since it doesn’t require a prolonged chilling sequence, it’s a prime candidate for forcing, starting to carry out after solely 6 weeks or so in refrigeration.
Identify: T. clusiana and cvs. (syn. T. aitchisonii and cvs.)
Peak: 6 to 10 inches
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
Batalinii tulip provides a pop of shade to rock gardens and arid areas
Native to rocky hillsides of Central Asia, this species varies between butter yellow and salmon and has wavy petals that flare barely at their suggestions, creating a pleasant spin on the standard goblet-like tulip presentation. Contemplating this tulip’s chosen habitat of origin, it’s typically efficiently plugged into rock gardens, the place its diminutive stature will be admired simply. Nevertheless, batalinii tulip isn’t one of many extra available species, even from mail-order sources, so undoubtedly take into account including it to your spring lineup in the event you come throughout it. Additionally, though references say the species title is a synonym of T. linifolia, there’s an apparent naming discrepancy concerning this very different-looking tulip.
Identify: T. batalinii
Peak: 4 to 10 inches
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
‘Lilac Marvel’ candia tulip delivers easygoing magnificence with lilac-pink blooms
For an surprising shade combo, ‘Lilac Marvel’ candia tulip is among the best species tulips to develop and is sort of keen to perennialize when given optimum rising circumstances. In truth, when tucked into the backyard after being compelled, this bulb nonetheless willingly returns for a number of springs. The flowers are lilac pink with brilliant sunny yellow facilities (when the solar coaxes buds absolutely open), increasing the colour spectrum past the reds and yellows displayed in many of the species. Native to Crete, candia tulips are inclined to have shorter stems than different tulip species. This choice is an absolute charmer close to entryways and en masse alongside walkways.
Identify: T. saxatilis ‘Lilac Marvel’ (syn. T. bakeri ‘Lilac Marvel’)
Peak: 6 to 10 inches
Bloom time: Midspring
Kolpakowsky’s tulip sports activities cheery blooms which can be nice for massing
Hailing from Central Asia and picked up as early as 1877, this little heirloom tongue tornado has acid yellow flowers that stand out in a spring backyard. The blossoms have slender petals just like these of the girl tulips, however the flower stems are typically shorter. Plant the bulbs in plenty to greatest ramp up their message.
Identify: T. kolpakowskiana
Peak: 6 to eight inches
Bloom time: Early to midspring
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Low-growing tulip provides putting twists on shade and kind
Positively incomes the variety award, this species has spawned a number of shade spins—from white-with-purple-centered ‘Alba Coerulea Oculata’ to magenta ‘Persian Pearl’ with its brilliant yellow eye. With extra of a deep purple shade, ‘Samantha’ is a later-blooming double spin that hardly seems like a species tulip apart from the skinny leaves and quick flower stems.
Identify: T. humilis and cvs. (syn. T. pulchella and cvs.)
Peak: 4 to eight inches
Bloom time: Mid to late spring
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Defend your belongings
Undoubtedly you’re questioning about all of the critters that carouse with the only real goal of stealing your tulip thunder. Identical to the massive guys, species tulip bulbs and their rising elements are imperiled by nibbling creatures. One secret is to combine crushed oyster shells (aka hen grit) into the soil across the bulbs when planting them in autumn. It will dissuade chipmunks, squirrels, and different digging demons. The second the foliage breaks floor in spring, spray it with deer repellent after which preserve the functions coming, particularly when the repellent is washed off in spring showers.
Sources
- Brent and Becky’s Bulbs, Gloucester, VA 877-661-2852 brentandbeckysbulbs.com
- John Scheepers, Bantam, CT 860-567-0838 johnscheepers.com
- McClure & Zimmerman Randolph, WI 800-883-6998 mzbulb.com
Tovah Martin is a horticulturist, lecturer, and award-winning writer in northwestern Connecticut.