The lightly ruffled blossoms of the award-winning Double Early Tulip 'Foxtrot' variety are a chorus of pink shades—deep rose colors the base and moves up the petals to join lighter pink tones with white highlights. Complement these pinks with blue Muscari. Early.
Tulipa is an ...The lightly ruffled blossoms of the award-winning Double Early Tulip 'Foxtrot' variety are a chorus of pink shades—deep rose colors the base and moves up the petals to join lighter pink tones with white highlights. Complement these pinks with blue Muscari. Early.
Tulipa is an enormous genus consisting of approximately 75 species, all of which are, in their original forms, true perennials. In their native habitats (ranging from Central Asia to the Mediterranean basin) Tulips are subject to both long, cold winters and hot, bone-dry summers; they adapted to survive these conditions by returning to dormancy after a spring season of active growth and flower. The cultivation of Tulips goes back over 1,000 years and the 14th century Ottomans are generally credited with the development of Tulipa as a garden plant.
The conditions in most North American gardens don't much resemble the climates in which Tulips evolved, and most modern cultivars are best grown as annuals - planted in the fall, enjoyed the following spring and then replaced. There are several groups, however, that do offer strong multi-year performance. Selections from the Kaufmanniana, Fosteriana, Greigii, and Darwin Hybrid groups are generally considered the most perennial and our Tulip growing guide includes information on the growing practices that are most conducive to repeat performance.
In addition to these groups of garden varieties, there are less-hybridized varieties referred to as Species Tulips or Botanical Tulips. Species Tulips are the closest contemporary analogs to the original, "wild" tulip and are the most perennial of all commercially available varieties. They are generally smaller and more demure than the more highly-bred forms; some Tulip connoisseurs consider them the most attractive and garden-worthy of all.
Our descriptions indicate, whenever possible, the group to which the variety belongs and whether the variety is considered an Early, Midseason, or Late Bloomer. These designations are relative - Early, here in Connecticut, means April, Late means May, and Midseason means somewhere in between. Double Early Tulips feature Peony-like double blooms in early spring, often in rich colors.
Their shorter stems (12-16") make them excellent for containers and protected borders. Though not reliably perennial, they offer a lush, dramatic effect early in the season. Ideal for gardeners seeking early, opulent blooms for close viewing and excellent for bouquets.