Tulips come in so many assortments, colours and sizes, so sometimes we need a guide to help us know what’s what. Today we’ll explore just that, in fact we’ll talk about 4 different types of tulips such as, Single Tulips, Double Tulips, Darwin Hybrid Tulips and Lily-Flowered Tulips. And we’ll discuss what makes them unique and when they bloom.
Single Tulips
The denomination comes from their unique up-shaped six petal flower, these tulips can be early spring bloomers. Single Tulips range in size of about 25-45cm and the late spring bloomers are comparatively larger, ranging in size from 45-72cm.
Double Tulips
These flowers are also often called the “peony” tulips because of their shape, they’re an elegant flower and can be as wide as 25cm. Double Tulips are sensitive to rain and wind, so it’s ideal to have them in a sheltered place. The average size of this flower range between 30-40cm, similar to the Single Tulips, Double Tulips are both early and late bloomers.
Darwin Hybrid Tulips
This flower has an interesting history, it was developed in the Netherlands by D.W. Lefeber, a prominent breeder. He crossed the famous Red Emperor with various cultivars from the group of tulips known as Darwin Tulips. The result of this cross-breeding was a series of tulips that excelled do to their size and sturdy long stems. Their egg-shaped single blooms are up to 8cm wide and they are available in a wide range of colours; orange, red, yellow and pink. Darwin Hybrids also range in a variety of coloured speckles and stripes on their petals. These flowers provide blooms up to 5 years and grow as large as 50-70cm in mid-late spring.
Lily-Flowered Tulips
Whats makes Lily-Flowered Tulips different from other tulip varieties are there slender flowers with often pointed and recurving petals. Their flower stems are thin, making them susceptible to wind damage. Most Lily-Flowered Tulips bloom in late spring with a few blooming mid spring and are typically 40-50cm tall. These flowers make wonderful cut flowers and have a nice fragrance, perfect for any room in your home.
Get Planting
It’s always good to start thinking about what you want in your garden or what flowers you want in your home. Knowing what to plant and in what season is very helpful. Make sure you take the time to figure out how you want to approach your garden and then research the right plants for the season.
