Tulipa orphanidea (Botanical Tulip)

Small and delicate, Tulipa orphanidea is a charming bulbous perennial boasting 2-7 green leaves, often with a tinge of red along their edges, and a stem bearing 1-4 globular to star-shaped flowers, that resemble crowns. The oval, copper-red petals are tinged green outside and often purple. A cluster of bulbs makes a delightful show in the spring garden. Flowering in mid-late spring, this tulip is a member of the Botanical Tulips and is quite versatile in the garden.

• Growing up to 4-12 in. tall (10-30 cm), this tulip naturalizes easily and will come back year after year.
• Performs best in full sun in fertile, well-drained soils. Protect from excessive wet and shelter from strong winds.
• Easy to grow, this tulip is a welcomed addition to beds, borders, rock gardens, or containers. For best visual impact, plant in groups (at least 15 bulbs).
• Keep an eye out for slugs, aphids, stem and bulb eelworm, tulip fire, and bulb rot.
• Remove spent flowerheads to avoid the plants putting energy into producing seeds, and allow the foliage to wither before pulling it off.
• Propagate by lifting and separating offsets
• All parts may cause severe discomfort following ingestion and may cause an allergic skin reaction. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling.
• Toxic to dogs, toxic to cats, toxic to horses.
• Tulipa orphanidea is found in the southeast Balkans, Bulgaria, Greece, Aegean Islands, Crete, and western Turkey.

A symbol of spring, tulips are the most popular spring bulbs and most gardeners reserve them a spot in the garden or in containers. Grown for their attractive, vibrantly colored flowers, there are currently over 3,000 registered varieties, which are divided into fifteen groups, mostly based on the flower type, size, and blooming period of the tulip.

Botanical Tulips: it is generally assumed that about 150 different wild species exist in an area running roughly from Central Asia to Spain and Portugal. Some of these ‘real’ species are cultivated on a modest level, but most are interesting only to certain tulip enthusiasts. Others, though, are attractive to the ordinary garden owner. It must be mentioned that the interest in wild species is increasing steadily – this phenomenon may have something to do with the fact that more and more wild plants are disappearing from our environment. Tulipa tarda was even pronounced ‘Flower Bulb of the Year’ in Holland in 1997, an award that definitely says something about its rising popularity. The bulbs, offered in sizes 6/8 to 8/10, are smaller than those of ordinary tulips and are very easy to naturalize.