Tulipa Ballerina - Lily flowering Tulip

The water-lily-flowered 'Ballerina' Tulip is a superb variety with slightly scented flowers, adorned with a beautiful bright orange colour, and borne on sturdy, weather-resistant stems. This flower, shining like a spring sun, also possesses the natural elegance of tulips in this group; elongated flowers with slender petals. Its late flowering in May allows for charming and natural combinations with biennials or annuals such as wallflowers, poppies, stock, and forget-me-nots, to feel inspired like Monet's garden in Giverny.

The 'Ballerina' lily flower tulip belongs to the Liliaceae family. It is classified in Division 6 of horticultural tulips, which has 15 divisions. Their main characteristics are as follows: they have single flowers, they bloom in the second half of spring, and they have narrow cup-shaped flowers with pointed and recurved petals when opening and at night, which open into a star shape when fully bloomed. During the day, these flowers become spider-like and widely open. They were created in the early 20th century. This variety will reach a height of 45 cm (18in) when in bloom. The flowering takes place at the end of April. The colour of this orange flower, touched with tangerine, is enhanced by its slightly translucent texture in the sunlight. The foliage is thinner than that of other tulips. Each solitary flower is supported by a fragile-looking stem, but resistant to bad weather.

The 'Ballerina' water-lily-flowered tulip finds its place in large flower beds. Its beautiful bright tone allows for combinations with white tulips, creating a beautiful harmony. This also maximizes the duration of the flower bed's flowering period. Combine it with Corsican hellebores and euphorbias, and you will create surprising scenes. It can also be planted in borders, rockeries, flower beds, as well as in pots and planters. This tulip also beautifies balconies and terraces. It is ideal for creating sumptuous bouquets. In a vase, add very little water! Moreover, if your tulips open too quickly, you can add two to three ice cubes in the vase every day. Many varieties of lily flower tulips are grown for forcing and produce cut flowers for a large part of the year.

About botanical species: Tulip species are found from Western Europe to China and Japan, through Eastern Europe, Asia Minor, and Central Asia. They are also present in North Africa and the Indian subcontinent. The centre of diversity for the genus is located in the Pamir and Hindu Kush Mountains and the steppes of Kazakhstan. 

In Europe, there are various wild species, many of which are endangered. These are either large adventive tulips from cultivated fields, the most well-known being the Agen tulip (Tulipa agenensis), or small tulips found in wooded areas or among rocks in the mountains. In cultivation, they are called “botanical tulips”, and one of the most common is the wild tulip (Tulipa sylvestris), which used to commonly grow sheltered by vines and whose subspecies australis is known as the southern tulip.