Flower Feature: Let’s Talk Tulips!
As spring is starting to make an appearance, the spring bulbs are finally starting to wake up. I always love when I see the tops of my tulips and daffodils poking up out of the ground.
Living in Holland, MI (or anywhere nearby) most of us are VERY familiar with tulips since the local Tulip Time festival happens here every May, and we get to enjoy tulips as we drive around.
If you’ve ever thought to yourself that tulips are boring and common, then this post is for you.
Most of us know the standard single tulips; they are beautiful and very stately in the landscape, and easy to find at the grocery store. But have you seen double tulips?
Double tulips are what you would imagine, a tulip with double the petals. They create a very full bloom and as they are enjoyed in the vase, they gradually open wider giving a very different profile.
Now the more unusual of my favorite varieties is the parrot tulip. These are especially fun from start to finish. At the start they look like single tulips with fringed edges, but as they age they get wild.
Parrot tulips will likely start to bend over, but don’t worry they aren’t dead! The curve in their stem adds some nice romantic elegance to the bloom. At their peak, some parrot tulips’ petals can open fully, with the petals pointing straight out.
Some fun tulips facts:
No, you did not imagine that tulip getting taller! Tulips stems continue to stretch in length after cutting. Feel free to give it a trim if it needs taming.
Don’t throw out that bendy tulip! It’s not dead until the petals shatter (fall off) or are brown and desiccated. If it’s soft and floppy and has been out of water, re-cut the end (about an inch) and put it back in fresh water. If it’s firm but bendy, then just enjoy nature!
This year we’re growing mostly double varieties for sale. Tulips are here and gone quickly, to get the freshest tulips make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to get notified of when they’re blooming.