Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
1 yearUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Red | Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | ||||
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Liliaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Potentially harmful
- Harmful if eaten, skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets: Harmful if eaten, skin allergen - for further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
- Genus
Tulipa are bulbous perennials with characteristic flowers, in a wide range of colours, in spring
- Name status
Accepted
- Horticultural Group
- Fringed Group tulips flower in late spring, with single, cup-shaped flowers with finely-fringed tepals
How to grow
Cultivation
Plant bulbs in late autumn, at a depth of 10-15cm (4-6in) in fertile, well-drained soil. Choose a sunny position, with protection from strong winds and excess winter wet. Lift bulbs annually, once the leaves have died down, and ripen in a cool greenhouse, keeping dry over the summer. See tulip cultivation for more details
Propagation
Propagate by division, removing bulb offsets when lifting the bulbs in summer
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Patio and container plants
- Banks and slopes
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Deadhead and remove any fallen tepals after flowering; allow foliage to die down naturally
Pests
May be susceptible to slugs, and stem and bulb eelworms
Diseases
May be susceptible to tulip fire, tulip grey bulb rot (a sclerotinia disease), and tulip viruses
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.