The varieties of tulips to grow in pots or in flower beds in the garden are numerous. Some open at the beginning of March, while you have to wait until the end of May to admire the later ones. The succession of the different varieties therefore offers 3 months of non-stop flowers! Here is grouped in this article the tulip family classified according to their flowering period.
The hybrid tulips greigii and Kaufmanniana
Greigii tulips are small, early botanical tulips, some of which flower at the end of the cold weather, between early and mid-March.
Hybrid kaufmanniana tulips have larger, brightly colored flowers. They can be recognized by their green foliage, generally speckled with dark, purple lines.
Plant these tulips in groups of 10 or 15 bulbs in a rock garden, between carpets of barnacles, gold or silver baskets, white snowflakes that bloom at the same time, or with blue grape hyacinth bulbs.
They are also very decorative in pots but only last a few weeks.
Flowering: from the beginning of March.
Height: No more than 20 to 25 cm
Some beautiful varieties of Greigii and Kaufmanniana tulips:
- Red Riding Hood: Scarlet red with a black heart
- Bodice: Pale pink edged in cream
- Heart’s Delight: Red and orange
- Ancilla: Red and orange
- Goudstuck: Dark yellow and scarlet
- Tchaikowki: Red and yellow
- Turkish Delight: Red and orange
Fosteriana hybrid tulips
They grow easily and flower a lot and early enough, year after year, even if the soil is heavy and wet or their location is covered by other flowering plants in summer.
They also need less heat in the summer than other species.
Flowering: around mid-March.
Height: 40 to 45 cm
Some nice varieties:
- Madame Lefeber: Scarlet Red
- Orange Emperor: Orange
- Candela: With large yellow flowers on medium and very strong stems
- Purissima: White
Hasty tulips
Despite their names, these tulips do not open until April. They are single or double. Double-flowered tulips are always lower than single-flowered varieties. If it’s not too hot in April, they flower for about two weeks.
Their flowers are often very large compared to the stem that carries them. Early tulips do well in clumps and some even have a slight scent.
The early single tulips
Flowering: In April
Height: 40cm
The most beautiful varieties of early single tulips:
- Apricot beauty: Apricot orange
- Princess Irene: Orange flamed with purple pink
- Diana: White
- General de Wet: Salmon orange
- Christmas Dream: Fuchsia red
- Yokohama: Yellow
Double early tulips
Flowering: In April
Height: 25 to 30 cm
Recommended varieties:
- Schoonord: White
- Peach blossom: Pink
- Carlton: Red
- Orange Nassau: Orange
- Monte Carlo: Yellow
Triomphe tulips
Triomphe tulips offer a wide variety of colors. They are large tulips, often single, sometimes double, recognizable at the base of the flower, usually quite wide, that can easily be associated with the beautiful flower balls of ornamental garlic.
Flowering: End of April, beginning of May
Height: 40 to 50 cm
The best varieties of Triomphe tulips:
- Anna José: Rose bordered in white
- Arabian Mystery: Violet bordered with white
- Baronese: Rose with dark stems
- Golden Memory: Yellow
- White Dream: Pure white
Darwin’s tulips and Darwin’s hybrids
These tall tulips display bright colors, yellow or red. They are therefore more difficult to combine in massifs.
Flowering: End of April, beginning of May
Height: 55 to 60 cm
Some varieties of Darwin’s tulips:
- Apeldom: Red
- Golden Apeldom: Yellow
- Pink Impression: Hot Pink
- Dutch Fair: Yellow flamed with red
Viridiflora tulips
These are simple, late tulips that can be recognized by the more or less wide green line that marks the median of each petal. The shape of the flower is also square. Their yellow, orange and red hues can also be flamed.
Flowering: End of April, beginning of May
Height: 45 to 60 cm
Fringed tulips
They can be recognized by the edge of their always finely cut petals.
Tulips with lily flowers
These tall tulips don’t all open at the same time. They are remarkable for the shape of their large flowers with pointed petals and for the duration of their flowering. Despite their long stems, they are solid tulips, but you should avoid placing them in a border that is too windy.
Flowering: Mid May
Height: 50 to 60 cm
The most beautiful varieties of lily flowering tulips:
- China Pink: Pink
- Westpoint: Primrose yellow
- Ballerina: Orange
- Maytime: Purple bordered with white
- Marylin: White flamed with fuchsia
- White Triumphator: Pure white, to associate with blue forget-me-nots
- Queen of Sheba: Red
Parrot tulips
The petals of parrot tulips are cut, often distorted. The flowers are often a solid color, but can be flamed or variegated as well.
Flowering: Around mid-May.
Height: 45 to 50 cm
The recommended varieties of parrot tulips:
- Blue Parrot: bluish
- Estella Rijneveld: Red and white
- Firebird: Orange
- Black Parrot: purple
- Flaming Parrot: yellow-green and red
- White Parrot: white
- Texas Gold: yellow-red
Double late tulips
Often referred to as peony flowering tulips, tulips in this family bloom late if it is not too hot. In addition, they sometimes offer several flowers per stem.
Flowering: Until the end of May.
Height: 45cm
The most known :
- Nice Carnival: White and red
- Mount Tacoma: Pure white
- Lilac perfection: Dark lilac
- Uncle Tom: Dark red
- Angelique: Pink then white
- May Wonder: Hot pink