Tulipa kaufmanniana 'Ice Stick'

The Kaufmann's Tulip 'Ice Stick' is often the first to bloom among this group of hybrids originating from a very resistant botanical species. This variety with changing colours is also easy to grow, floriferous, and reliable. The narrow and elongated blue-green bud blossoms under the sun, delivering white petals with a yellow base, adorned with a grey-pinkish flame that turns raspberry red over time. Planted en masse, Kaufmann's tulips create charming and colourful carpets from the early days of spring. They thrive in well-drained soil, fresh during winter and spring, in the sun until May-June, and rest in dry soil during summer.

In the mountains of Central Asia, the humble Kaufmann's Tulip spreads in large carpets on the dry and rocky meadows of its native Turkestan. This species is the origin of numerous hybrids and cultivars with vibrant colours, including the sublime variety 'Ice Stick', registered in 2002. The bulb is round, covered with a brown tunic, and measures about 3cm (1in) in diameter. The plant forms a small tuft in spring composed of 2 to 5 lanceolate leaves, bluish-green, 10 to 25cm (4 to 10in) long. The purple flower stem measuring 30cm (12in) in height bears, from the month of March, a flower with 6 pointed petals, 5 to 8cm (2 to 3in) in diameter, which opens widely in the sun, almost flat and resembles a water lily rather than a tulip at that moment. The corolla closes when the sun hides. 'Ice Stick' exhibits flowers that are generally tricoloured on the outside. The inside of the corolla, white with a pale salmon-yellow border, exhibits a beautiful golden yellow throat. The foliage dries up some time after flowering, marking the bulb's entry into dormancy.

Kaufmann's tulips are very hardy plants and particularly faithful. They prefer cold and humid winters and love dry summers. They are excellent tulips to naturalize in a lawn: they bloom early and their foliage dries up fairly quickly. So, just wait a little before the first mowing and avoid watering the lawn in summer: a small gesture for both the wallet and the environment, which will be rewarded with a magnificent carpet of flowers from the early days of spring. Muscari, Crocus chrysanthus, and violets can also animate this stretch of grass from the end of winter. Waterlily tulips can also be used with pleasure in rockeries or at the base of deciduous trees and shrubs with late foliage. 'Ice Stick', with its sorbet-coloured flowering, goes very well with blanda anemones and Ipheions, which bloom around the same time, in March, or even earlier depending on the regions. You can also place it in pots on your terrace or balcony.