Botanical terms boggle your mind? Here’s an easy guide to help you understand Tulip groupings…
Don’t be fooled into thinking that the Tulip season is fleeting! There are actually fifteen different groups of Tulips with different flowering times and shapes. By bringing together early, mid-season and late-flowering Tulips, mixing flower forms and colours you can enjoy the burst of colour for twice as long… and we’ve made it a little easier with a Seed Pantry bite-size guide.
| Group | Flowering Period | Height | Features Seed Pantry loves… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greigii | Early March-April | 20-30cm/8-12in | Distinctive marbled or striped leaves, which spread along the ground. |
| Fosteriana | March-April | 25-40cm/10-16in | Broad green/grey leaves, sometimes mottled or striped. Large, slender flowers. |
| Kaufmanniana | March-April | 10-25cm/4-10in | Also known as ‘waterlily Tulips’ as their flowers open flat. Flowers can be bi-coloured with mottled or striped foliage. |
| Species | Varied | 20-35cm/8-14in | Plants tend to be low-growing and small-flowered. Don’t be fooled by their delicate appearance, they are normally much hardier, very beautiful and long-lived than modern hybrids! |
| Rembrandt | March-May | Up to 40cm/16in | A strange example of beauty, renowned for their ‘broken’ flower colours, the striped markings and intricate patterns are actually caused by being infected with the non-spreading ‘Tulip breaking virus’. |
| Single Early | Late March-Early April | Up to 40cm/16in | Large, cup-shaped singular flowers. Their short stems make them ideal for pots. |
| Double Early | Early-Mid April | Up to 30cm/12in | Double-flowered with peony-like blooms. Brilliant as cut flowers due to their long-lasting properties. |
| Triumph | Late April-Early May | 40-50cm/16-20in | Originating from hybrids of the Single Early and Single Late cultivars, plants vary from having compact, rounded flowers to having a more conical shape. |
| Darwin | Late April-May | 45-60cm/18-24in | Very large, goblet-like flowers on tall stems, which makes them better suited to borders than pots. |
| Single Late | Late April-May | 45-75cm/18-30in | Single-flowered with relatively small, oval blooms on long, stiff stems. |
| Parrot | May | 40-60cm/16-24in | Single-flowered with unusual curled, twisted and otherwise distorted petals that create amazing shapes. Often bi-coloured. |
| Lily-flowered | May | 45-75cm/18-30in | Single-flowers with pointed tips to the petals that flare outwards, not surprisingly… like a Lily! |
| Double Late | Late May | 45-60cm/18-30in | Showy large double flowers that are more rounded than the early double group. |
| Viridiflora | May | 30-50cm/12-20in | Distinguishable by their colour, the flowers in this group are almost entirely green when they first open, later changing to a second base colour. |
| Fringed | Variable | 40-60cm/16-24in | One of the newer cultivated Tulip types. Petals are edged with delicate ruffles – a very popular group! |
Whether you plant them in pots or in the ground, Tulips are a spring garden’s perfect companion! We love the striking contrast of orange and purple with Tulipa ‘Apricot Beauty’ Tulipa ‘Queen Of Night‘ and Tulipa ‘Rem’s Favourite’. Choose your own Spring border combinations from the Grow Club Tulip selection, get those green fingers at the ready and check out our handy Tulip planting guide for Autumn planting season!
Click here to see our stunning range of Tulips in the Seed Pantry Grow Club during October and November!
If you’re already a seasoned Grow Clubber, we’d love to see your planting combinations! – please share your pictures with us on Instagram and Facebook, or pop us an email at support@seedpantry.co.uk!
Seed Pantry Team 🌼
