Owens Corning

National Gardening Association Tulips

by Michael MacCaskey

No other flower heralds spring like a tulip, especially after months of dreary, not to mention cold and snowy, weather. Like a river of clear, cool water on a hot summer day, my mind's eye feasts on the color and shape of tulips in early spring. If, like me, you need to see tulips bloom at winter's end, now is the time to buy bulbs and get them planted. Tulips are fun and enormously satisfying. To grow them, no expert's touch is required, and you don't need a large garden.

This article is for those of you who haven't had much experience with tulips or would appreciate a refresher. I hope it also offers a bit of inspiration. There is some basic how-to, and a chart of the 14 types of tulips with some of the best varieties of each. A sense of these types and their characteristics goes a long way towards simplifying catalog and nursery shopping. And to make your planning even easier, I've listed some of the best combinations of tulips, as well as tulips to combine with annuals, perennials and other bulbs, so that you can make artful displays of complementary colors and bloom seasons.

How to grow tulips

Buying and planting.

Start by purchasing quality bulbs from a mail-order supplier or from a well-stocked garden center. The bulb exporting business in Holland is tightly regulated, so only top-quality bulbs are shipped. For most varieties, this means bulbs that are about 1 1/2 inches in diameter or 12 centimeters in circumference. Bulbs of some species tulips are much smaller. Choose bulbs that are firm and free of defects such as cuts, bruises or white mold. Expect to pay between 30 and 70 cents per bulb, depending on the season (the earlier you buy, the cheaper the bulbs), the variety and the dealer.

Tulips like cold winters, so are more challenging in the mild-winter West and South. In these regions, choose varieties that are proven in warm climates, usually the mid- to late-season bloomers such as the Darwin Hybrids or Single Lates. In Southern California, for instance, Darwin Hybrids and most of the late tulips do well. Likewise, in Gulf Coast regions, I'm told that the Darwin Hybrids are most reliable. Reasons? Their stocky stems are fairly tolerant of wind and rain, and the midseason blooms usually appear before the worst spring weather.

When to plant.

Plant tulips anytime the soil six inches deep is 60oF or colder. In the North and Midwest, this means September or October. Then lightly mulch the planted area.This will give the bulbs time to break dormancy and begin growth before the soil freezes, and the mulch will protect them if snow cover is light ornonexistent before severe cold.

In the South and West, plant tulips during November and December. In the Deep South and Southwest, wait until after Christmas, when the soil is coldest, and plant deeply - to eight inches or more. Deep planting minimizes the superficial temperature fluctuations that occur closer to the surface.

If you live in zones 8 or 9, you'll need to chill the bulbs in your refrigerator crisper for at least eight weeks before planting. In the South, for instance, you'd buy bulbs in early November and plant in early January. Place them in a vented paper bag and away from ripening fruits that produce ethylene gas, which destroys the bud within the bulb. Chilling is not necessary for gardeners who live in zones 3 to 7.

Where to plant.

Tulips grow best in full sun in a location that has well-prepared, well-drained soil. Avoid planting in low-lying, shaded locations that might be prone to a late frost. In southern regions, however, planting in shaded areas may help keep soil cool longer, slow bulb growth and prolong bloom. Plant naturalizers, listed as "wild species," by the handfuls in rock gardens or in perennial borders.

How to plant.

Loosen and amend soil to a depth of one foot, and add one pound of a low-nitrogen fertilizer, such as Holland Bulb Booster, per 100 square feet. Minimum planting depth is twice the height of the bulb, or four inches of soil on top of the bulb. Planting deeper, to eight inches, discourages bulb multiplication and subsequent weakening and places the bulbs out of the way of pests such as voles.

Plant five tulip bulbs per square foot or 250 bulbs in 50 square feet, spacing bulbs about five inches apart. Tamp the soil and thoroughly water. Don't water again, or only sparingly so, until leaves appear.

Planting bulbs pointed end up is preferred. Only by planting all the bulbs the same way can you expect even height at bloom. Label groupings by name, and in cold climates, mulch.

Planting in containers.

Provide the maximum amount of space for root growth by placing bulbs so that tips are just covered by the soil surface. In cold climates, cover containers with about eight inches of mulch, or store them in a cold garage or basement. After four months, if you can see roots growing out of the drainage holes and top growth is emerged from soil, you can move pots to a brighter, warmer location to force early bloom. You can also hold the pots in a cool but bright location and allow bloom to come at the natural time.

In warm climates, the process moves much faster. Store pots outdoors in the coldest location available. After eight to 10 weeks, begin checking for root growth emerging from drainage holes, then move pots to a warmer location for bloom.

When tulips bloom

Spring comes to different regions at different times, so when your tulips bloom will depend on where you live. All of the descriptions here and in the chart on page 46 are based on USDA zone 6. In regions warmer than zone 6, theybloom earlier, and in colder areas, they bloom later. In zones 8 and 9, peak tulip season is Marchto early April, while in zones 6 and 7 it's April. In zones 4 and 5, tulips bloom closer together,mostly in May. A case in point are the Darwin Hybrids 'Gudoshnik' or 'Parade'. They bloom in lateMarch in San Francisco (zone 9), and six weeks later - early May - in Long Island (zone 6).

The tulip season is longer in the South than it is in the North. Specific varieties of tulips that bloom at the same or nearly the same time in the North may bloom weeks apart in the South. But tulips don't grow as tall in these southern zones. A variety that reaches 30 inches in zone 5 may flower at a 20-inch stem height in zone 9. Microclimates play a role, too. 'Angelique' in a sunny area with a sunny exposure will blom earlier than the same bulbs planted in a shady location.

How long the flowers last is determined by weather. In Holland, where spring is long and cool, tulip flowers last up to six weeks. Three to four weeks is more common for most of the U.S., and less than a week is the norm in the South if the flower has the temerity to open during a heat wave.

Care after bloom.

If you planted one of the naturalizing tulips (a type that comes back year after year), it's important that you allow leaves to "ripen" thoroughly before cutting them off. This means letting leaves grow, mature and wither naturally. These growing leaves supply the bulb with energy for next year's bloom. Tulip bulbs that you do not expect or want to bloom next year can be pulled and discarded anytime after bloom. In fact, it's much easier to do this before plants wither than after. If you leave these bulbs in place, they will produce at leasta few straggling tulip leaves the next spring.

Tulips as cut flowers

Cut tulips early in the morning. Look for flowers with tight buds that show color in the upper two-thirds of the exposed petals. For longest stems (and if you're growing them as annuals), pull the stem at the base. Indoors, recut stems and soak them for two or three hours in lukewarm water treated with commercial preservative solution. Condition flowers by wrapping them with wax paper after arranging.

Problems

The main reason tulip bulbs fail in the North is poor root growth prior to severe cold. In order to survive severe cold, the bulbs must have extensive root systems. If tulips are planted very late in the fall shortly before severe cold, or if they are planted in very dry soil, they become susceptible to frost damage. Less commonly, extreme soil conditions, such as very low or very high pH, and poor water drainage will inhibit bulb growth and cause the bulbs to rot.

Pests.

Aphids colonizing leaves, buds or flowers are a nuisance and will cause a general weakening of the plant. If they appear in your garden, wash them off with clear water; if that isn't effective, try soapy water. Rodents of various kinds love tulip bulbs. Sprinkle fine, sharp gravel around each bulb to discourage voles. Or shake bulbs in a bag containing cayenne pepper prior to planting.The only sure remedy, though, is to plant bulbs in individual wire baskets, and protect plants with lightweight covers or netting.

Tulips to Combine with Other Tulips

These combinations match colors, bloom season and height to maximize impact.

Early

'Showwinner' (red) with 'Candela' (yellow)

'Showwinner' with 'Red Emperor'

'Stresa' (yellow and red) with 'Plaisir' (red and white)

Midseason

'Boccherini' (maroon) with 'Hibernia' (white)

'Burning Heart' (ivory with red) with shorter 'Ice Follies' (ivory with

pink)

'China Pink' with 'Parade' (red)

'Esther' (pink) with 'Shirley' (white with purple)

'Golden Apeldoorn' (yellow) with 'Apeldoorn' (red)

'Golden Parade' (yellow) with 'Parade' (red)

'Negrita' (purple) with 'Esther' (pink)

Late

'Anglique' (pink) with 'Mount Tacoma' (creamy white)

'Grand Style' (dark pink) with 'Queen of Night' (maroon)

'Menton' (pink) with 'Maureen' (white)

'Menton' with 'Black Parrot' (dark maroon)

'Pink Supreme' with 'Black Parrot'

'Renown' (rose) with 'Blue Heron' (lavender)

Tulips to Combine with Other Bulbs

Plant the lower-growing bulb (listed first) in front of the taller one (listed second).

'King Alfred' daffodil with 'Couleur Cardinal'

'Maureen' (white) with Fritillaria persica

'Mrs. John T. Scheepers' (yellow) with Fritillaria persica

Muscari armeniacum with 'Hamilton' (yellow)

Muscari armeniacum 'Blue Spike' with 'Couleur Cardinal'

'Queen of Night' (maroon) with Fritillaria imperialis 'Lutea'

Tulipa sylvestris (yellow and green) with

Muscari latifolium

Tulips to Combine with Perennials

'Beauty of Apeldoorn' with basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

'Maureen' (white) with brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)

'Mrs. John T. Scheepers' (yellow) with Siberian wallflower (Erysimum hieraciifolium)

'Orange Emperor' with leopard's bane (Doronicum cordatum)

'Sweet Harmony' (yellow) with 'Blue Bunting' columbine

Tulipa bakeri 'Lilac Wonder' with blue fescue (Festuca ovina 'Glauca')

Tulipa pulchella (red) with Waldsteinia ternata

Any of the Double Early tulips with forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)

Any of the medium-long white or soft yellow tulips with forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica)

Most any tulip with white candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)

Tulips to Combine with Annuals

In warm regions, plant annuals at tulip planting time in fall. In cold regions, wait until weather moderates in spring, or when you first see tulip buds emerge from the soil.

'Anglique' (pink) with 'Imperial Pink' pansy

'Menton' (pink) with 'Carmine King' (pink) forget-me-not

'Mrs. John T. Scheepers' (yellow) with Chinese forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amabile)

'Mrs. John T. Scheepers' with 'Blue Perfection' viola

'New Design' (pink) with Virginia stock (Malcolmia maritima)

'Sweet Harmony' (yellow and white) with blue and white, yellow-center pansy

'White Triumphator' with blue pansies

Any tulip with white sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Tulip Selection Guide

Here are the 14 categories of tulips and several of the most outstanding varieties of each. Antique categories, such as Breeder, Cottage, Darwin and Rembrandt, are other names of tulips you'll see in some catalogs and books. Cottage and Darwin tulips are incorporated into the Single Late group. Rembrandts evolved from the Breeders, and both categories are largely abandoned. The tulip types here are ranked in blooming sequence, beginning with the earliest-to-bloom Kaufmannianas.

TULIP TYPES: Kaufmanniana; more than 50 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: March to April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 6"-10"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, naturalizing, rock gardens

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Ancilla' (white, turning pink and red); 'Johann Strauss' (red with sulfur edges, leaves spotted); 'Scarlet Baby' (pink-red); 'Showwinner' (red, mottled leaves); 'Stresa' (yellow with broad red stripe).

TULIP TYPES: Fosteriana; more than 30 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: March to April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 10"-20"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, naturalizing, rock gardens

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Candela' (yellow); 'Juan' (orange); 'Orange Emperor'; 'Princeps' (bright red); 'Red Emperor' (a.k.a. 'Madame Lefeber'); 'Sweetheart (lemon yellow with white); 'Zombie' (pink and white blend).

TULIP TYPES: Wild species

BLOOM SEASON: March to April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 2"-24"; 3"-5"

USES: Perennial borders, naturalizing, rock gardens

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: *T. bakeri 'Lilac Wonder' (8", white and light pink with a yellow base); *T. clusiana chrysantha (8", dark yellow inside and bright red outside); T. clusiana 'Cynthia' (pale yellow inside, dull red outside, T. linifolia (8", bright red); T. praestans 'Fusilier' (10", orange-red); T. pulchella (6", red to purple); *T. sylvestris (6", yellow with touch of green); T. tarda (a.k.a. T. dasystemon tarda, 2", yellow and white); T. urumiensis (6", yellow streaked green or red).

TULIP TYPES: Greigii; more than 40 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: early April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 8"-12"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, naturalizing, rock gardens

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Cape Cod' (orange-red); 'Plaisir' (red and white with yellow base); 'Red Riding Hood' (red-orange, leaves mottled with purple); 'Toronto' (multiflowered, salmon red, leaves mottled with purple).

TULIP TYPES: Single Early; 28 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid- to late April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 8"-12"; 4"-5"

USES: Beds, borders, rock gardens, forcing

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Apricot Beauty' (salmon pink); 'Beauty Queen' (multiple shades of pink); 'Couleur Cardinal' (scarlet flushed with plum); 'Keizerskroon' (a.k.a. 'Grand Duc', red and yellow).

TULIP TYPES: Double Early; 44 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid- to late April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 8"-12"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, rock gardens, forcing

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Aba' (red); 'Monsella' (yellow with red streaks); 'Monte Carlo' (yellow); 'Peach Blossom' (pink flushed with white); 'Schoonoord' (white).

TULIP TYPES: Triumph; 248 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid- to late April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 12"-16"; 4"-5"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers, forcing

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Attila' (violet-purple); 'Baronesse' (rose pink with white edges); 'Boccherini' (36", lilac-purple with pink streaks); 'Hibernia' (white); 'Ice Follies' (ivory with pink plus red streaks); 'Negrita' (dark-purple); 'New Design' (light pink with dark edge); 'Peer Gynt' (pink and white); 'Peerless Pink'; 'Purple Prince'; 'Snow Star' (white).

TULIP TYPES: Darwin Hybrid; 53 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid- to late April

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 12"-20"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Apeldoorn' (red); 'Apeldoorn Elite' (red-orange on yellow); 'Beauty of Apeldoorn' (yellow with red stripes); 'Big Chief' (27", coral pink); 'Burning Heart' (ivory with red); 'Golden Apeldoorn' (lemon yellow); 'Golden Parade' (yellow); 'Gudoshnik' (yellow with red stripes); 'Jewel of Spring' (pale yellow with red edge); 'Oxford' (scarlet with yellow base); 'Parade' (red); 'Pink Impression' (34", rose pink).

TULIP TYPES: Lily-flowered; 22 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: early May

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 14"-30"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Ballade' (purple with white edges); 'China Pink'; 'Elegant Lady' (pink with cream); 'Jacqueline' (pink); 'Marilyn' (red with cream); 'Mariette' (dark rose); 'Queen of Sheba' (mahogany and gold); 'Red Shine'; 'West Point' (yellow); 'White Triumphator' (pure white).

TULIP TYPES: Viridiflora; 38 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: May

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 16"-24"; 4"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR

DESCRIPTION: 'Groenland' (a.k.a. 'Greenland', pink with green band); 'Hollywood' (red-tinged and white-edged leaves); 'Spring Green' (cream white with soft green base).

TULIP TYPES: Single Late; 88 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid-May

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 14"-30"; 4"-5"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Blushing Lady' (36", yellow with pink); 'Esther' (bluish pink); 'Georgette' (multiflowered, yellow with red); 'Grand Style' (dark pink); 'Make Up' (white with red edge); 'Maureen' (white); 'Menton' (rose pink with salmon cast); 'Mrs. John T. Scheepers' (yellow); 'Pink Supreme'; 'Queen of Night' (deep maroon); 'Renown' (rose); 'Shirley' (white with soft purple); 'Sweet Harmony' (yellow with white edge).

TULIP TYPES: Fringed; 53 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid- to late May

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 8"-30"; 4"-5"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION:'Blue Heron' (soft lavender); 'Burgundy Lace' (wine red); 'Canova' (rose with white); 'Fancy Frills' (yellow with pink); 'Fringed Elegance' (pale yellow); 'Hamilton' (strong yellow).

TULIP TYPES: Double Late (Peony); 19 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: mid- to late May

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 17"-23"; 5"

USES: Beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Allegretto' (yellow with red stripes); 'Angelique' (pink with white edges); 'Carnaval de Nice' (white with red streaks); 'Maywonder' (rose pink, similar to 'Up Star'); 'Mount Tacoma' (creamy white).

TULIP TYPES: Parrot; 38 varieties

BLOOM SEASON: late May

HEIGHT; DISTANCE TO ALLOW BETWEEN BULBS: 14"-20"; 6"

USES: Novelty, beds, borders, cut flowers

RECOMMENDED VARIETIES AND COLOR DESCRIPTION: 'Apricot Parrot' (apricot yellow); 'Black Parrot' (dark maroon); 'Estella Rynveld' (white with red stripes); 'Fantasy' (salmon pink with green marking).Michael MacCaskey is editor-in-chief of National Gardening.

Copyright NGA

Reprinted with permission HouseNet, Inc.

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