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. These are real early birds: they bloom before any other tulips. They catch the eye not only because of their extra early flowering but also because of their inflorescence and cheery range of colors. In addition, the graceful way the flowers open and their pretty foliage make them attractive before, during, and after flowering. In other words, Botanical tulips are simply bursting with nice characteristics.