Tulip seasons here. But do you know where they originate?
….and its not Holland!!!
After planting at the end of November, to minimise the risk of tulip fungal disease (Botrytis tulipae), the fantastic display of elegant flowers borne on long stems has arrived. But these are very hybridised versions of the original plants, first cultivated by the Turks in the 11th Century.
Tulips (Tulipa) have been so cultivated that today they are classified into 15 divisions, from Singles, Doubles, Fringed to Parrot there’s a tulip for all tastes.
But the final group, Division 15, are Species or ‘Wild Tulips’. These are the originators of today’s garden favourites.
Native to the Caucuses through to Southern China, these bulbous plants grow in mountainous areas with temperate climates, thriving in long cool springs and dry summers.
If you’ve not heard of them before, they are different to the cultivated Tulips.
- Slightly smaller but with more varied and interesting foliage
- Produce multiple blooms per stem
- More perennial, naturalising and spreading easily.
- Less vulnerable to stormy spring weather, their shorter stems don’t bend and flop in strong winds.
- Like Crocus, their flowers remain closed at night/cloudy days showing a different outer petal colour, but in many cases displaying a different inside colour as the flowers open.
There are 22 species within Division 15, once difficult to buy many are now easily available……so why not give them a go and plant a different Tulip this Autumn. Here’s a selection, all given ‘Award of Garden Merit‘ by the RHS:-
Tulipa clusiana (Lady Tulip). White petals with red stripe on outer side. Flowers are white on inside with purple base. Height 25cm
Tulipa linifolia. Scarlet flowers with black basal markings. Height 15cm.
Tulipa sprengeri. Red flowers with slate outer flash. Taller than most species Tulips. Height 40cm
Tulipa tarda. Up to 6 flowers per stem. White tipped yellow flowers. Height 15cm.
Tulipa turkestanica. Up to 6 flowers per stem. Flowers mainly white, with a subtle pink or greenish yellow flush. Height 30cm.
Planting and Care:-
- Plant in Autumn (as soil temperature falls below 15C) in well drained soil, at 4 times bulb depth, in Autumn
- Encourage the bulbs’ naturalising tendencies by leaving faded flower heads attached so that seeds can mature and spread.
- Don’t remove leaves until they begin to turn yellow and fall over. Bulb plants use the extra time in leaf to continue photosynthesis and store nutrients for the next year.
- Water in spring if little rain. Species tulips are dormant in the summer and prefer dry soil then.