Tulipa

Tulipa armena

Medium sized, striking bright red to crimson flowers with a small black eye, picked out with a gold border.

This has fur lined bulb tunics protecting its small bulbs from the excesses of summer heat and dryness in its native mountain home, in Northern Turkey and in this case traceable to the area around Chat.

Tulipa armenatularmarm	£8.50
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Tulipa aximensis

This is one of the Neo Tulips from the Alps of Savoie in France, which have arisen from introductions made during the crusades. Some have already been rendered extinct by ski developments, but the high-altitude, summer-wet home makes them ideal for garden use as they are hardy and long-lived.

This species, preserved in Holland, has lovely crimson red flowers with a unique grey exterior to the bloom, when still in the bud. As a denizen of cool mountains and damp summers, it isperfectly happy in the garden with a minimum of intervention.

Tulipa aximensistulaxiaxi	£2.35

Tulipa bifloriformis ARJA 0071

A new and unusual selected form with wide leaves and larger flowers than most forms. These are white with a large golden star in the centre and yellow anthers around, each with a tiny black tip. The outside of the petals is strongly flushed with rich cherry red.

As well as wider leaves, this strain also has wider, more overlapping, petals.

Tulipa bifloriformis ARJA 0071tulbif0071	£5.00

Tulipa cretica

This is one of the smaller and less ‘blowsy’ Tulipa species with a charm all of its own. The star-shaped flowers open white and take on a faint, complimentary pink tinge with age. There can be three flowers to each stem and all have a lovely bright cadmium yellow throat.

In the wild, this is limited exclusively to the mountains of Crete where it grows and flowers soon after the melting snows finally vanish, so it is remarkably tough and cold hardy despite its elfin appearance. Although they look delicate, they are perfectly happy outside in the UK, certainly as far north as northern Scotland.

They like a gritty, well-drained compost and will take considerable neglect, although they do far better and increase nicely if fed and watered. They do NOT like an excessively dry summer rest.

Tulipa creticatulcrecre	£2.50
regret crop failed

Tulipa edulis

Very short, 5-10cm, stems appear early in the spring bearing several white flat-faced, starry flowers. These have a small yellow throat inside and reddish-brown veining on the exterior. The leaves are a lovely silvery-grey-green.

A very distinct plant, totally different to the European and middle eastern species in manner, appearance and needs. This likes a peaty or humus-rich soil and a sunny, but well-drained site. It will grow in a pot but we find that it is best outside. Japan.

Picture courtesy of Keisotyo at Wikimedia, with thanks.

Tulipa edulistuleduedu	£5.00
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Tulipa galatica

A dwarf Tulip, introduced from near Merzifon, in the Pontus Mountains of N. Turkey as long ago as 1896 and rarely seen since. It has been preserved in cultivation for close on 120 years from its original introduction though its name has been batted around by botanists between both armena and gesneriana. We offer it under its original name, call it what you wish. It is a lovely, dwarf plant, reaching 20cm at most here (and that is tall for it). Flowering is late, in May as a rule.

It has short, very broad, wavy-edged leaves and large conical flowers of bright, mid-yellow, touched with emerald green both at the base and along the centre of each petal. There is the tiniest of ruby red tips to the outer petals in some years also. It is genetically unusual in having 16 chromosomes, in a genus which is usually based on multiples of 12.

Easy in a well-drained sunny spot, in a fertile, loam soil. It is best lifted and cleaned annually for good results and flowering, however it is tolerant enough to withstand a year or two untouched if this happens.

AM RHS 1900

Tulipa galaticatulgalati	£14.50
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Tulipa hageri

Ruby-red to ducky copper flowers with a bronze tinged exterior and 3-5 flowers on each stem, the centre is a deeper greenish-black sometimes margined with yellow, sometimes not, but always attractive.

Pleasantly easy to grow in the garden and this species does not need lifting every year.

Tulipa hageritulhaghag	£0.50
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Tulipa heweri

A new species, named as recently as 2008 by L.W.D. Raamsdonk, though it was discovered as long ago as 1969 by the eponymous Professor Tom Hewer in northern Afghanistan, the only area in which it is know to occur wild. The species is related to T. praestans though the two never overlap in the wild. Tulipa heweri differs differs in having smaller and less densely ciliate leaves, yellow or ochre flowers, yellow filaments, anthers and stigma, and a green ovary.

It bears between one and three flowers per stem (it belongs to the multiflorae series) these are golden yellow in and out though sometimes the exterior of the outer petals is shaded with fine lines of vermilion giving a lovely blush coloring, which with age becomes more like a flame in shape and intensity.

Cultivation is not difficult either potted in a well drained, fertile, loam-based compost or in a sunny spot in a garden situation that provides the same conditions of fertility and drainage. Annual lifting and cleaning is appreciated though not essential every year.

Tulipa heweritulhewhew	£2.50

Tulipa hissarica

One of the earliest-flowering of the Tulipa species, this is a cool-growing alpine plant with up to four, golden yellow, fragrant starry flowers on a 10cm high stem. The exterior is shaded with a trace of orange on a silvery ground.

Excellent in a pot but tough enough to survive a choice garden spot, where it does not need annual lifting. Scarce. Tajikistan, C. Asia.

Tulipa hissaricatulhishis	£8.50
Naturally small, flowering sized bulbs Large view

Tulipa hoogiana Late Form

This new form has the huge and flamboyant flowers of the normal strain but flowers some 10-14 days later and thus it extends the flowering period considerably.

Tulipa hoogiana Late Formtulhoolat	£5.50
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Tulipa iliensis

(dykesiana, hoeltzeri)

Lovely lemon-yellow flowers, with the outer tepals stained crimson on the exterior, with a hint of sage-green at the base. Inside there is no basal blotch below the yellow. The flower sits over two to four, erect, deeply channelled, glaucous leaves, the whole affair only some 20cm tall.

This likes a well-drained, sunny spot and has been perfectly hardy and happy here, outside in the garden in a bulb bed when it lights up a corner in March.

Introduced in 1879 from Tien Shan in Central Asia, however this also occurs in China.

Tulipa iliensistuliliili	£6.00

Tulipa julia

A seldom seen native of Turkey and Iran with 30cm stems crowned by deep vermilion flowers which have a black throat, thinly edged with yellow. Yellow and striped forms are also known in the wild, but this stock is consistently red-flowered.

This slender, very elegant, high mountain plant performs well in the garden. The comparatively small bulbs have a densely felted lining to the bulb tunics which is a defence against excess dryness or heat in the wild.

Tulipa juliatuljuljul	£5.00

Tulipa karabachensis

A little gem barely in cultivation but very deserving of attention.

A stem of 25-30cm (at most, often less) carries a 6cm flower of gorgeous, primrose yellow, a rare colour within species Tulips. Easy growing and very different in appearance.

Endemic to the Karabakh range in what is now Armenia and Azerbaijan where it grows on stony mountain slopes at the edge of forests.

Tulipa karabachensistulkarkar	£10.50
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Tulipa planifolia

This has large flowers. These are red but are overlaid with a warm chestnut-brown colour with pointed, slightly reflexed segments and a warm yellow centre. Each petal has a black spot. The anthers and pollen are both purple-black.

Originally collected by Monsieur P. Delaiguenear near St. Jean de Maurienne, in April 1960. This species has now been obliterated in the wild to provide skiers with accomodation. Fortunately it is easy in the garden where it flowers reliably each May..

Tulipa planifoliatulplapla	£4.50

Tulipa pulchella caerulea

When asked to explain what I mean by unusual bulbs, this plant is often my example. A 20cm tall blue and white fragrant Tulip, that is easily grown, but which few people know about.

This really is fabulous; the petals are of good texture and are pure white, the base has a thin black bordered, deep steel-blue patch and the whole is lightly fragrant of violets. It flowers early in the tulip season, long before the “crowd” and is a very distinguished and attractive plant.

Tulipa pulchella caeruleatulpulcae	£2.85
naturally smaller than many Tulips, but flowering sized Large view