Tulip

Sun

Full sun; light shade beneath deciduous trees is suitable if the bulbs receive plenty of spring light.

Water

Moderate moisture while growing in spring; keep relatively dry during summer dormancy. Avoid waterlogged soil in any season.

Soil

Fertile, freely draining soil, preferably neutral to slightly alkaline. Use raised beds or containers where soil stays wet.

Height

1-2.5 ft (0.3-0.75 m), depending on cultivar

Spread

0.3-0.5 ft (0.1-0.15 m) per bulb

Flowers

Spring, usually March-May in the Northern Hemisphere and September-November in Australia. Flowers may be white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple or nearly black, often with contrasting markings.

Foliage

Broad, smooth, blue-green to grey-green leaves emerge in late winter or spring and die back after flowering.

Growth

Fast seasonal growth; bulbs planted in autumn normally flower the following spring.

Care needed

Medium

• Plant in autumn once the soil has cooled, with the bulb base about 6-8 in (15-20 cm) deep; space bulbs 4-6 in (10-15 cm) apart.
• Water after planting and during prolonged dry spells while leaves are growing; stop routine watering once foliage dies.
• Apply a bulb fertiliser at the label rate as shoots emerge, keeping it off leaves.
• Leave foliage intact until it yellows naturally so the bulb can store energy for next year.
• In wet-summer gardens, lift bulbs after foliage dies, dry them in an airy place and store somewhere cool and dry until autumn.
• In warm-winter parts of Australia and the southern United States, use pre-chilled bulbs where needed and expect to replace them annually.

Pruning. Remove spent flower heads before seed pods develop, leaving stems and leaves in place. Cut foliage to ground level only after it has yellowed and withered.

Autumn

Buy firm, healthy bulbs and plant once the soil has cooled; discard soft or mouldy bulbs.

Winter

Check that beds and containers drain freely, and protect planted bulbs from squirrels where necessary.

Early spring

Feed emerging shoots and water if the soil is dry.

Spring

Remove faded flower heads and check for distorted, spotted or rotting growth.

Late spring

Allow leaves to yellow naturally; keep them untied and exposed to light.

Summer

Leave dormant bulbs dry, or lift and store them if the planting area needs frequent summer watering.

• Plant in repeated groups through a sunny border for a clear band of spring colour.
• Combine with forget-me-nots, wallflowers or pansies to soften the bare ground around upright stems.
• Use matching cultivars in containers beside entrances; choose pots with generous drainage holes.
• Plant among later-emerging perennials, such as hardy geraniums, to conceal fading foliage.
• Arrange single-colour blocks in formal beds or along paths for a strong seasonal pattern.

Garden styles it suits: Formal, English country, Cottage garden, Romantic rose garden, French parterre and Modern courtyard.

Plant it with: Forget-me-nots, Wallflowers, Pansies, Grape hyacinths, Daffodils and Hardy geraniums.

Wildlife: Single, open flowers can provide pollen for visiting insects, though tulips are not a dependable main food source for pollinators. Deer and rabbits may eat shoots and flowers, while rodents eat bulbs.

• Tulip fire: distorted shoots and brown-spotted flowers or leaves can indicate Botrytis infection. Remove affected plants, bulbs and debris; avoid replanting tulips in that soil for at least three years.
• Bulb rot: wet soil causes soft, decaying bulbs and failed emergence. Discard affected bulbs and improve drainage or grow in containers.
• Squirrels, mice and voles: bulbs may be dug up or eaten. Use securely fixed wire mesh over newly planted beds or suitable bulb baskets.
• Poor flowering in later years: many garden tulips decline, especially with warm winters or wet summers. Preserve leaves until yellow, provide dry summer conditions and replace weak bulbs.

Toxic to cats, dogs, horses and people if eaten, with the highest concentration of irritants in the bulbs. Ingestion can cause mouth irritation, drooling, vomiting or diarrhoea; substantial bulb ingestion can be serious and needs prompt veterinary or medical advice. Bulb sap can also cause skin irritation, so wear gloves if sensitive.

• Greig's tulip (Tulipa greigii)

  Usually shorter, with conspicuous purple or maroon streaks and spots on the leaves; most garden tulips have plain green leaves.

• Water-lily tulip (Tulipa kaufmanniana)

  Usually flowers earlier on short stems, with pointed petals that open very wide in sunshine, creating a starry or water-lily shape.

The species name gesneriana honours the Swiss naturalist Conrad Gessner.

Propagation. Separate healthy offsets when dormant bulbs are lifted in summer, then replant in autumn. Small offsets may take several years to flower. Seed-raised plants are slow to mature and do not reliably match the parent cultivar.

Accepted botanical name

Tulipa gesneriana

In the US and Canada

Introduced in the lower 48 states.

Native range

Turkey.

Measured

Soil pH 7 to 7.5. Average height 43 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.