Tulips

The various colors in Tulips and recommended cultivars are as below:

1. Single Early Tulips:

• Apricot Beauty- Apricot colour.
• Bellona- Golden yellow (Scented).
• Brilliant Star- Scarlet.
• Couleur Cardinal- Deep scarlet.
• Diana- White, centre cream.
• Pink Beauty- Deep pink, edged white.
• Prinses Irene-Orange with purple flame.

2. Double Early Tulips:

Garden Tulips and their classification

The basis of classification of Tulips is their flowering season i.e. early, mid-season and late flowering. The official classification of Tulip lists 15 divisions. 11 divisions are of garden Tulips, another three divisions of cultivars derived from the species and the last comprising true species and their direct hybrids.

Division 1 and division 2 contain early flowering garden cultivars because they are first to bloom.

Tulip bulbs harvesting

Season and cycle for Tulips

In hilly areas Tulips are planted in October- November and flowering takes place in early February. But some times flowering occurs in December also, it depends on cultivars and time of planting. Tulips prefer cool dry climate during their growth and flowering. High rainfall and humidity is a limiting factor in tulip cultivation. Generally tulips take six months from bulb planting to harvesting.

Tulip is generally propagated by tunicated bulbs or offsets. Bulbs should be checked for any infection, like discoloration, cuts or bruises or softness. Infected bulbs must be discarded.

Tulip bulbs initiate their flowering when they are properly forced (i.e. satisfy artificially log cold requirement).If unforced bulb is used then plant growth is slow and stem growth is inhibited. The Tulip plant produces flowers on very short stems and no uniform flowering occurs.

Tulips are famous for their unmatched brilliance and attractive colours. The flamboyant tulips not only bring a splendid show to the garden but also have a great economic value. They occupy a prominent position among top ten cut flowers of the world. Today Holland is the primary source of tulip production in the world. Tulips grow well in temperate regions but do not grow well in the plains. The term 'Tulip' is derived from a Turkish word - Tulbend or 'Turban', which this flower resembles.