Tulips: our tips for staggering flowering times

Early tulips

Some tulips are referred to as early or precocious: these flowering bulbs emerge from the ground as early as mid-March or at the end of March, and bloom for about fifteen days in most regions (except in mountainous areas or continental climates). Generally, these are small tulips with short stems.

All these tulips pair wonderfully with other early bulbs: botanical daffodils, muscaris, and crocuses.

Nota Bene: we repeat, depending on the region and the mildness of the climate, tulips can bloom 2 to 6 weeks earlier compared to a colder region. Similarly, a cold spring will delay flowering.

• Botanical tulips: very small in size (between 15 and 25 cm), but with such delightful flowers, we classify them in this category of early tulips, as most are in bloom by mid-March. They are perfect for borders or planted in rockeries, all displaying a lot of natural charm. They often have a contrasting coloured heart. This is the case with the Tulipa turkestanica, with its lovely small white flowers and yellow heart. The Tulips pulchella, such as the Tulipa botanica humiliis pulchella, or the Tulipa botanica pulchella violacea, the Tulipa botanica pulchella Albocaerula Oculata, and the Tulipa tarda (syn. dasystemon) with a bouquet of bright yellow flowers. The Clusiana tulips form pretty pointed flowers with sharp petals when still closed, blooming from the end of March. The Greigii tulips bloom last in this category, often at the end of March or early April. Short-stemmed, they produce several flowers per stem and often have veined or marbled brown foliage.

Tulipa turkestanica and Tulipa pulchella violacea

• The Fosteriana tulips: also known as Emperor tulips, they are among the first to bloom in spring, at the same time or just after the botanical tulips. These tulips have large flowers, often displaying a solid colour, yellow, orange, red, white, or pink, sometimes bicoloured. Among the beautiful cultivars: the striking Tulipa fosteriana ‘Orange Emperor’, and the Tulipa fosteriana ‘Purissima Design’, cream, with beautiful elegance.

Tulipa fosteriana ‘Purissima Design’ and Tulipa fosteriana ‘Orange Emperor’

• The Kaufmanniana tulips: Also known as water lily tulips, as their charming bloom resembles them. They are typically small (about 20 cm), with often variegated or striated foliage. They also unfold their flowers throughout March, always in well-drained and light soil. Among the many hybrids derived from the botanical species from Turkestan, the Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Johann Strauss’ with marbled red leaves and delicate white flowers with a yellow heart, and the Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Fashion’, salmon pink.

Tulipa kaufmanniana ‘Fashion’ and ‘Johann Strauss’

• Simple early tulips: they have the classic shape we know of tulips, with 6 cup-shaped petals. Ranging from 15 to 30 cm in height depending on the variety, they offer a wide range of colours. Among the most beautiful: Simple early tulip ‘Apricot Beauty’, salmon pink, ‘Purple Prince’ in purple, or the Simple early tulip ‘Couleur Cardinal’, one of the oldest, red with stunning plum reflections.

Tulips ‘Cardinal’ and ‘Purple Prince’

• Double early tulips: Although they are generally late, some double tulips, known as peony-flowered, are early, blooming as early as the beginning of April. They indeed resemble peonies or even roses, with their many petals and beautiful diameter (8 to 12 cm). Smaller than simple early tulips, they bloom for a longer period. Among the standards: Double early tulip ‘Colombus’, pink with a fine white edge, Double early tulip ‘Dior’, bright pink, and the Double early tulip ‘Peach Blossom’.

Tulips ‘Colombus’ and ‘Dior’

→ Read also: How to choose early tulips for an early spring bloom?

Mid-season tulips

Tulips are referred to as mid-season when their flowering occurs in April, the peak season for tulips. These tulips may begin to bloom as early as the start of the month, continuing until the end of April, and even into May. Two representative groups of this mid-season flowering are distinguished:

• Triumph tulips: These are old tulips, created in the 1920s, resulting from a cross-breeding between early single tulips and late single tulips. They have given rise to numerous varieties. They feature a very classic, narrow cup shape and are also distinguished by their relatively tall height (often between 50 and 60 cm). They bloom in the heart of spring, from April to early May. They showcase a wide range of colours, from ivory white like the ‘Inzell’ tulip to the deep purple of the ‘Continental’ tulip, including bicolours like ‘Shirley’ or ‘Garden Party’, and multicolours like the charming Triumph Tulip ‘Muvota’.

Triumph Tulips ‘Shirley’ and ‘Continental’

• Darwin hybrid tulips: They ensure a strong presence in the garden due to their size (they are among the tallest, between 50 and 70 cm). Darwin hybrids are also known for being among the tulips with the largest flowers and the brightest colours: they provide an unparalleled visual effect in borders. The flowers are always single, making them excellent cut flowers. They have a long lifespan and bloom around mid-April or in May. There are many interesting varieties, such as the vibrant ‘Apricot Impression’, the bright ‘Golden Apeldoorn’ tulip, or the apricot-hued ‘Mystic Van Eijk’ tulip.

Darwin Tulips ‘Apeldoorn’ and ‘Apricot Impression’

Late tulips

This category of tulips includes two main “families” of tulips: lily-flowering tulips and viridiflora tulips, along with a few other horticultural hybrids among the single, double, and more sophisticated tulips like parrot and fringed tulips. They typically bloom from May onwards.

• Lily-flowering tulips: unique for their elongated, oblong flowers and pointed petals, they are perhaps the most refined. Lily-flowering tulips begin their flowering from mid-April or in May, depending on the cultivars. Among these elegant beauties, the lily-flowering tulip ‘Maryline’ in white, flamed with cherry red, ‘Ballerina’ in bright orange, ‘West Point’, a sunny beauty in all yellow, and ‘Marianne’, sublime in a pink-orange hue.

Lily-flowering tulip ‘Maryline’ and lily-flowering tulip ‘Marianne’

• Viridiflora tulips: these elegant tulips are recognised by the stripes or flames of a lighter green that adorn their petals. They come in very different sizes, between 30 and 60 cm, and in rich, fresh, pastel or more vibrant colours. These tulips are perfect for bouquets, blooming for about 3 weeks, with a rather slender cut, the petals often pointed, generally towards the end of May. A few examples: the viridiflora tulip ‘Spring Green’ in cream veined with green, very subtle, the viridiflora tulip ‘Nightrider’ in green and mauve, original, the tulip ‘Artist’, salmon flamed with green, or ‘Golden Artist’, apricot yellow flamed with green. Also see our article: Popular viridiflora tulips

Viridiflora tulips ‘Spring Green’ and ‘Artist’

• Parrot tulips and fringed tulips: these are originals, with parrot tulips having completely ruffled petals and fringed tulips featuring finely laciniate petals giving them a frosted appearance. These tulips bloom late, usually in May until the end of the month. They vary greatly in height, from about 25 cm to 60 cm. Spectacular for some, too sophisticated for others, they do not go unnoticed and make unique bouquets. Their colours are stunning, baroque and refined, like the parrot tulips ‘Black Parrot’ and ‘Exotic Parrot’, and soft or vibrant in fringed tulips (also known as Crispa tulips) like ‘Barbados’ in bright red or candy pink in ‘Santander’.

Parrot tulip ‘Black Parrot’ and fringed tulip ‘Santander’

• Late single tulips: late single tulips are sometimes called cottage tulips. Derived from Darwin hybrids, some can reach up to 80 cm and withstand the higher temperatures of May. The flowers, 10 to 12 cm wide, are borne on a sturdy stem. Multi-flowered tulips, which produce two to three flowers per bulb, also belong to this category, extending the flowering period. Among the noteworthy varieties: late single tulip ‘Maureen’, strikingly white, ‘Queen of the Night’ with petals almost black, and the late single tulip ‘Sky High Scarlett’, a delicious red, astonishing at 90 cm tall, certainly the tallest!

Late single tulip ‘Maureen’ and multi-flowered tulip ‘Antoinette’

• Late double tulips: late double tulips are generally the last to bloom in the garden or pots. They feature beautiful double flowers, about 8 cm in diameter, often compared to peony flowers. They deserve a sheltered spot from the winds to prevent the flowers from damaging too early. They bloom in May. These tulips are very romantic, like the famous tulip ‘Angélique’. Also consider ‘Carnaval de Nice’, a stunning bicolour bloom in red and white, well double, ‘Mount Tacoma’ like a pure white peony once fully open, and ‘Orange Princess’, in a flamboyant orange, blooming a bit earlier from late April to early May.

Late double tulip ‘Angélique’ and late double tulip ‘Pink Star’